by Steven Curtis Chapman with Ken Abraham
Scott County Library hardcover 430 pages
genre: autobiography
I have long enjoyed SCC's music. I remember hearing about the accident when his teenage son accidentally hit and killed his little girl in their driveway at home. How does a strong Christian get through the pain of that? When I saw this book, I knew I wanted to read it and learn more about his journey. What an amazing story!
Filled with lots of photographs, SCC shares about his childhood, music, struggles, and faith. One thing I didn't know about him (since I don't go to concerts) is that he is very talkative! The book gets a little long-winded, but since I am cut of the same cloth, verbosity doesn't put me off. I truly enjoyed reading this story of his life.
I marked a LOT of passages and there were many more I didn't mark that impressed me. At times (especially the last quarter of the book), I had to wipe tears from my eyes just so that I could continue reading.
Page 48 - in his childhood, their family agreed to host a layman, Dr. Baird, who was in town for a revival. What a cool experience! And how life-changing for the Chapman family!
"It turned out that a layman's revival did not feature a 'professional evangelist' but centered around the personal stories presented by a group . . . the laymen simply shared their own experiences of putting their faith in Jesus Christ and then stayed around to talk, answer questions, and pray with anyone wishing to trust Christ with his or her life. It was a deeply spiritual yet very natural, low-key presentation . . . Dr. Baird was not a theologian or a preacher; he was a dentist."
Page 65 - I love this! It makes me think of legacy and how I want to be faithful to Jesus and shine His light in the world. It also makes me think of Delta (I can't remember her last name) in junior high. She seemed alien to me! But I knew she had strong faith and strong morals, without her being self-righteous.
"Years later, at class reunions, some former classmates told me, 'We always knew where you stood as a Christian, and that made you kind of uncool, but we respected you.'"
Page 84 - His dad's insistence on practicing is admirable.
"'If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right!' And the fact that we were just singing on a Sunday morning in our little church was never a reason for anything less than a stellar performance. 'If we're gonna do something for the Lord, it needs to be done with excellence.'"
Page 107 - When SCC and Mary Beth were dating and had a makeout session that caused him to apologize to her and they had a conversation about saving themselves for marriage . . . powerful.
Page 121 - "I finally realized there was more going on than what met the eye. We were in an invisible but very real spiritual battle. Satan hates marriage. He loves romance and sexual desire because he tries to twist them for his purposes. Marriage, however, is a symbolic picture of our relationship with Jesus. That's why God is so pro-marriage, and that is why the enemy works so hard to destroy marriages."
Page 188 - "'You, as a husband, are responsible for the emotional well-being of your wife.' Whether or not Dr. Dobson actually said that I'm not sure, but that's the message I heard. To me, that meant if my wife was not doing well, it was my fault. Her emotional health was my responsibility as her husband. If she was broken, I had to fix whatever had caused it. I had no idea that fixing someone - even myself - was impossible."
As I read this, there were times I appreciated the challenge in being both candid and respectful. I wonder what his wife's feedback was on this . . . he doesn't shy away from admitting his mistakes and flaws, but this focus on "fixing" people, relationships, etc. persists throughout the entire book. In fact, the next page I marked was 195, where they are visiting with a counselor.
"I still felt a heavy weight of responsibility to fix what part of this brokenness was my doing, and I was sure much of it was. Maybe we just needed to pray and read the Bible more and try harder."
Page 227 - I'll miss the context of this without including the entire interaction, but I love how God uses us in our faithfulness. SCC was "ambushed" by a Howard Stern employee and gave the best testimony he could for Jesus, but was mocked as a Christian. He was a "fool for Christ" and kicked himself for not being more wise.
"But at least one husband started a fresh journey with his wife as a result of the encounter in which I felt I had failed to represent the Lord well. It was a poignant reminder of the truth: God never calls us to be successful; He calls us to be faithful."
Page 336 - When he was in the midst of deep despair, repeating God's promises over and over helped him survive. "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord. . . . " There truly is power in God's promises.
Page 337 - "She had asked Mary Beth on February 20, 'Does God really have a big, big house? I wanna go to God's big house. I wanna live with Jesus in His big house.' And I knew - I knew both intellectually and spiritually - that it was true. It was all true. Maria was with Jesus."
Even re-reading this now to blog it makes me tear up. I want the people I love to have this same conviction and knowledge of life after death. What am I doing to share the Good News of eternal life?
Page 340- "It was all I could muster, but as I did, the light and the clarity came back. I sensed that we were on holy ground. God's act of drawing back the curtain just enough that I could peer into eternity, to catch a glimpse of His eternal perspective, was a gift He gave to help me survive. I could do nothing to make it open again; there was no magic formula."
Page 354 - "It wasn't that what I had done previously was insignificant; it was simply that my world had shifted on its axis and I viewed things through a different lens."
This notion of a dramatic change in life and world-view, aka a paradigm shift, is hard to comprehend until you experience it. I know that phrase bugged me (paradigm shift) until 2013, when my world changed dramatically. Reading this immediately made me think of my own world shifting on its axis.
Page 356 - "Many times I cried out like David in the psalms. I felt like I was wrestling with God. It wasn't a matter of trying to be 'spiritual' or simply saying the right things; it was survival."
Page 400 - "'Satan is screaming lies over us all day long. And God whispers the truth in a still, small voice. So often the voice we listen to most is the one we hear the loudest.'"
SCC is quoting / paraphrasing a friend of his, but this is so very true! I need to be careful to spend time drawing near to the Lord so that I can actually hear Him over the loud voice of the accuser!
Page 405 - Although I've not experienced the highs of SCC's fame or the lows of his loss of a beloved child, I definitely can relate to his dilemma about wanting to shine for Jesus but not fake the personal struggle. It's really hard to want to witness and bring people to the knowledge of Jesus, but to also want to be authentic and confess the struggles.
"I was at the place where I basically said, 'Okay, God, if that's what You want to do, to have us stand in front of the world as broken as we are, and maybe even have everything fall apart with everybody watching, then it's in Your hands. . . I can't imagine how that's a good thing, but I'm going to trust You with it.'"
Page 407-8 The letter from his adult daughter Emily was amazing!!!
"One of the best things, ironically, I believe that you gave me was your inability to fix it. Really, it was a kind and gentle introduction to a harsh world that eventually every child has to grow up in and out from under their parents' wings and cope with. If you could have fixed it all, why would I have needed to turn to God? You always led us to the throne of grace, especially when you couldn't fix it."
"And that, that is indeed a great gift, because on these really hard momma days, when I feel like I am failing, the enemy is throwing all his darts, . . . then somehow I have to raise kids and have hope to look for the kingdom coming in what can feel like a hellhole at times, I remember what you taught us. Maybe I can't fix it, but I know the One who can."
I love this book enough to want to buy it, but as I'm working on saving money AND decreasing clutter in my home, I'll just recommend it highly! (And appreciate public libraries.)
Thursday, May 23, 2019
King and Maxwell
by David Baldacci
Scott County Library audiobook 11 CDs
read by Ron McLarty and Orlagh Cassidy
genre: detective fiction
I grabbed this after my sister's reaction to the last Baldacci book I read . . . she's a huge fan of King and Maxwell. I like the characters pretty well, but I'm not a "must read" fan.
The vocal work on this was irritating for the first few CDs. Not the actual voices, but the pacing. It sounded as though they didn't record at the same time and place, so the person who edited left odd gaps. The narration and all male characters were read by McLarty. Only Michelle Maxwell's (and other female characters') lines were read by Cassidy.
Not sure why I made a note of this, but I jotted "Charge of the Light Brigade" on my car paper . . . there must have been a reference to it in the book, but I don't remember it now. Must. Google.
I loved the little old neighbor lady by the Wingos' house! "I gotta pee." She was a hoot! I kind of wished she'd been in more scenes.
Alan Grant is evil. As I listened, I kept thinking of his wife and kids not being aware of his other life. The lengths someone might go to in exacting revenge . . . this story's premise is extreme, but definitely gets at some of the baser aspects of human nature.
Sam Wingo, geopolitics, etc. Interesting stuff.
Edgar was another favorite character for me! Brilliant but clueless. I love him! By the end of the story, I'm actually thinking of getting whatever is the "next" book in this series to see how the Edgar part turns out . . .
The description of the president's limousine - "The Beast" - was fascinating! I wonder if it's true?
I suppose the sign of a wonderful book is one that makes me more curious. This one succeeded!
Scott County Library audiobook 11 CDs
read by Ron McLarty and Orlagh Cassidy
genre: detective fiction
I grabbed this after my sister's reaction to the last Baldacci book I read . . . she's a huge fan of King and Maxwell. I like the characters pretty well, but I'm not a "must read" fan.
The vocal work on this was irritating for the first few CDs. Not the actual voices, but the pacing. It sounded as though they didn't record at the same time and place, so the person who edited left odd gaps. The narration and all male characters were read by McLarty. Only Michelle Maxwell's (and other female characters') lines were read by Cassidy.
Not sure why I made a note of this, but I jotted "Charge of the Light Brigade" on my car paper . . . there must have been a reference to it in the book, but I don't remember it now. Must. Google.
I loved the little old neighbor lady by the Wingos' house! "I gotta pee." She was a hoot! I kind of wished she'd been in more scenes.
Alan Grant is evil. As I listened, I kept thinking of his wife and kids not being aware of his other life. The lengths someone might go to in exacting revenge . . . this story's premise is extreme, but definitely gets at some of the baser aspects of human nature.
Sam Wingo, geopolitics, etc. Interesting stuff.
Edgar was another favorite character for me! Brilliant but clueless. I love him! By the end of the story, I'm actually thinking of getting whatever is the "next" book in this series to see how the Edgar part turns out . . .
The description of the president's limousine - "The Beast" - was fascinating! I wonder if it's true?
I suppose the sign of a wonderful book is one that makes me more curious. This one succeeded!
Sunday, May 19, 2019
The Saturday Night Supper Club
by Carla Laureano
Hennepin County Library hardcover 381 pages
genre: Christian realistic fiction, romance
This was a lovely, lightweight book that I read in part of a day. It's our April book club title, so it'll be fun to discuss.
Rachel Bishop is a James Beard award-winning chef in Denver, but she resents being identified as a female chef. To her, gender is irrelevant if she makes good food. But she is drawn into a media stir by a writer's article that criticizes a troll . . . leading to her loss of reputation, stake in her restaurant, and an identity crisis.
Her two best friends (Melody, a talented pastry chef) and Ana (a high-powered lawyer) help her to assess the situation and buoy her spirits. Ana also gives her a kick in the pants (proverbially) to help her move forward.
Page 62: "How painfully ironic that her attempt to keep the focus on her food had turned into a glaring personal spotlight. She couldn't even muster the self-righteous zeal to defend herself. Not when deep down, she wondered how much truth was contained in those horrible accusations. She had been foolish to think she could make this work. Foolish to believe that in the end, she would be anything more than a failure." "No. She pressed Stop on that recording before it could begin playing an endless loop in her brain."
I love that sentence! I love that someone could make the conscious choice to shut off the negative self-talk before it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy!
Page 101: "She'd been overcome with misplaced affection over some good - and clearly manipulative - writing and made a deal with the devil. A devil with hazel eyes and a dimple she couldn't stop thinking about."
This really bothered me. This is the first book I've read by this author, and I don't know much about her, but it's disappointing that a "deal with the devil" is the way she chose to express this idea. It's bothersome . . . not a phrase I would take lightly.
Page 363: "She'd been so quick to think the worst of him. She hadn't even given him the chance to explain. That made her as bad as all the strangers who had condemned her on social media without bothering to learn the truth, passing what they saw through their own damaged filters."
This phenomenon is troubling. There is so much hatred, condemnation, and criticism in the world. It's discouraging.
All in all, this was a fluffy read. You know that Rachel and Alex are going to fall in love. I probably enjoyed the storyline with Alex's sister the best. It was an easy, pleasant read.
Hennepin County Library hardcover 381 pages
genre: Christian realistic fiction, romance
This was a lovely, lightweight book that I read in part of a day. It's our April book club title, so it'll be fun to discuss.
Rachel Bishop is a James Beard award-winning chef in Denver, but she resents being identified as a female chef. To her, gender is irrelevant if she makes good food. But she is drawn into a media stir by a writer's article that criticizes a troll . . . leading to her loss of reputation, stake in her restaurant, and an identity crisis.
Her two best friends (Melody, a talented pastry chef) and Ana (a high-powered lawyer) help her to assess the situation and buoy her spirits. Ana also gives her a kick in the pants (proverbially) to help her move forward.
Page 62: "How painfully ironic that her attempt to keep the focus on her food had turned into a glaring personal spotlight. She couldn't even muster the self-righteous zeal to defend herself. Not when deep down, she wondered how much truth was contained in those horrible accusations. She had been foolish to think she could make this work. Foolish to believe that in the end, she would be anything more than a failure." "No. She pressed Stop on that recording before it could begin playing an endless loop in her brain."
I love that sentence! I love that someone could make the conscious choice to shut off the negative self-talk before it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy!
Page 101: "She'd been overcome with misplaced affection over some good - and clearly manipulative - writing and made a deal with the devil. A devil with hazel eyes and a dimple she couldn't stop thinking about."
This really bothered me. This is the first book I've read by this author, and I don't know much about her, but it's disappointing that a "deal with the devil" is the way she chose to express this idea. It's bothersome . . . not a phrase I would take lightly.
Page 363: "She'd been so quick to think the worst of him. She hadn't even given him the chance to explain. That made her as bad as all the strangers who had condemned her on social media without bothering to learn the truth, passing what they saw through their own damaged filters."
This phenomenon is troubling. There is so much hatred, condemnation, and criticism in the world. It's discouraging.
All in all, this was a fluffy read. You know that Rachel and Alex are going to fall in love. I probably enjoyed the storyline with Alex's sister the best. It was an easy, pleasant read.
Monday, May 13, 2019
The Boat People
by Sharon Bala
Scott County Library hardcover 330 pages
genre: realistic fiction
Oh my! I just finished reading this. SPOILER!
Mahindan and his six-year-old son Sellian have gotten on a refugee ship from Sri Lanka to Canada with 500 other people fleeing the war between the Tigers and Sinhalese. Canadian authorities have vowed to keep terrorists out and so the refugees languish in detention centers.
Priya, of Tamil descent but not a native speaker, wants to work in corporate law, but is placed with Gigovaz to help with the refugees.
Grace is of Japanese descent, has twin teen daughters, and is dealing with her aging mother's obsession with what happened during WWII to the Japanese. She is also trying to please her hard-line boss while being fair with adjudicating the hearings for the refugees.
This was a powerful story, moving in time from the present in Canada to the past in Sri Lanka as we learn more of Mahindan's life story. Wow.
Scott County Library hardcover 330 pages
genre: realistic fiction
Oh my! I just finished reading this. SPOILER!
Mahindan and his six-year-old son Sellian have gotten on a refugee ship from Sri Lanka to Canada with 500 other people fleeing the war between the Tigers and Sinhalese. Canadian authorities have vowed to keep terrorists out and so the refugees languish in detention centers.
Priya, of Tamil descent but not a native speaker, wants to work in corporate law, but is placed with Gigovaz to help with the refugees.
Grace is of Japanese descent, has twin teen daughters, and is dealing with her aging mother's obsession with what happened during WWII to the Japanese. She is also trying to please her hard-line boss while being fair with adjudicating the hearings for the refugees.
This was a powerful story, moving in time from the present in Canada to the past in Sri Lanka as we learn more of Mahindan's life story. Wow.
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
by Malcolm Gladwell
Scott County Library audiobook 7 CDs
read by the author
genre: Non-Fiction
I definitely liked Outliers better. The idea of "thin slicing" or making snap judgments was interesting but also frustrating. The power of the subconscious is not necessarily something I wanted to read an entire book about.
It bothered me when he used the expression "mind reading" even though I understood how he was using that phrase.
The part on facial expressions and tracking eye movements of regular people and autistic people . . . got a bit long. Also, the expression that people can have "temporary autism" - again, I understood his meaning, but the expression of the idea bothered me.
The part on police shootings was very timely.
The section on the Pepsi taste test of the 80s and the whole "New Coke" debacle was very relatable since I lived that and remember it well! (Though I actually could pick Coke and prefer it to this day.) Pepsi is too sweet!
I would gladly re-read Outliers. I'm not as interested in Blink. Gladwell is pretty amazing, though.
Scott County Library audiobook 7 CDs
read by the author
genre: Non-Fiction
I definitely liked Outliers better. The idea of "thin slicing" or making snap judgments was interesting but also frustrating. The power of the subconscious is not necessarily something I wanted to read an entire book about.
It bothered me when he used the expression "mind reading" even though I understood how he was using that phrase.
The part on facial expressions and tracking eye movements of regular people and autistic people . . . got a bit long. Also, the expression that people can have "temporary autism" - again, I understood his meaning, but the expression of the idea bothered me.
The part on police shootings was very timely.
The section on the Pepsi taste test of the 80s and the whole "New Coke" debacle was very relatable since I lived that and remember it well! (Though I actually could pick Coke and prefer it to this day.) Pepsi is too sweet!
I would gladly re-read Outliers. I'm not as interested in Blink. Gladwell is pretty amazing, though.
Friday, April 19, 2019
In Case You Missed It
by Sarah Parer Littman
Mrs. Weiers bookshelf, PRMS paperback 305 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction
You can google a description of the book . . . college-prep stress, friendships, social media, true self vs. what people see, parents and children, cancer, etc.
I chose this book while subbing (10 minutes silent reading time) because the book I had brought from home was not worth my time (Better World Books donation later that day). The first one I grabbed off Katie's shelf didn't work for me, either. This one was better.
Likes: realistic people and situations (brother/sister dynamic, girlfriends, etc.), positive outcome, grappling with difficult situations, etc.
Dislike: Although I liked the book overall and took the time to read it cover to cover, the characters and storytelling just weren't engaging enough for me to rave about it. It's not a book that I'll think about tomorrow . . . but it was worth the time.
Mrs. Weiers bookshelf, PRMS paperback 305 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction
You can google a description of the book . . . college-prep stress, friendships, social media, true self vs. what people see, parents and children, cancer, etc.
I chose this book while subbing (10 minutes silent reading time) because the book I had brought from home was not worth my time (Better World Books donation later that day). The first one I grabbed off Katie's shelf didn't work for me, either. This one was better.
Likes: realistic people and situations (brother/sister dynamic, girlfriends, etc.), positive outcome, grappling with difficult situations, etc.
Dislike: Although I liked the book overall and took the time to read it cover to cover, the characters and storytelling just weren't engaging enough for me to rave about it. It's not a book that I'll think about tomorrow . . . but it was worth the time.
Hour Game
by David Baldacci
loaned by a coworker . . . a few years ago, hardcover 437 pages
genre: murder mystery
I seriously considered just returning this book without reading it . . . but after two or so years, I thought it made sense to just get 'r done. So I read it while cuddling my grandson. That made the grisly murders less horrific somehow.
Someone is committing murders that look like famous serial murder copycat crimes . . . only the killer is sending letters that say they are purposely NOT copycats. There's a huge cast of characters, but private investigators Alex King and Michelle Maxwell are the ones to crack the case.
As I mentioned this book to my sister, she raved about Baldacci's team of King and Maxwell. She hadn't read this book yet (the title alludes to the killer using watches on his victims to indicate the number . . . and one tick off for certain victims). I don't want to include any spoilers, but I did not figure things out before the end!
Now I can finally return the book! (Clear the clutter in my home and my life . . . )
loaned by a coworker . . . a few years ago, hardcover 437 pages
genre: murder mystery
I seriously considered just returning this book without reading it . . . but after two or so years, I thought it made sense to just get 'r done. So I read it while cuddling my grandson. That made the grisly murders less horrific somehow.
Someone is committing murders that look like famous serial murder copycat crimes . . . only the killer is sending letters that say they are purposely NOT copycats. There's a huge cast of characters, but private investigators Alex King and Michelle Maxwell are the ones to crack the case.
As I mentioned this book to my sister, she raved about Baldacci's team of King and Maxwell. She hadn't read this book yet (the title alludes to the killer using watches on his victims to indicate the number . . . and one tick off for certain victims). I don't want to include any spoilers, but I did not figure things out before the end!
Now I can finally return the book! (Clear the clutter in my home and my life . . . )
Sunday, April 14, 2019
Outliers: The Story of Success
by Malcolm Gladwell
Scott County Library audiobook 7 CDs
read by the author
genre: non-fiction
Gladwell is such an interesting person! I love his research and writing, though there were times I didn't appreciate his rhetoric. (For someone who tends to over-the-top, you'd think I'd appreciate his hyperbole . . . ) My notes don't make much of a blog entry for others to read, but I highly recommend this title and may end up re-reading it!
hockey and soccer players and birthdates . . . crazy!
1954 technology / Bill Gates / opportunities
practice and 10,000 hours
The Beatles / Hamburg
entrepreneurs / 1833
lawyers
China / rice farms / math / numbers / logic . . . fascinating section!
4853976
"Working really hard is what successful people do."
Kipp School (?) - interesting . . . rigorous
Gladwell is basically debunking outliers that have typically been shown to be extraordinary people. He identifies different factors that have opened opportunities for success. Fascinating stuff!
Scott County Library audiobook 7 CDs
read by the author
genre: non-fiction
Gladwell is such an interesting person! I love his research and writing, though there were times I didn't appreciate his rhetoric. (For someone who tends to over-the-top, you'd think I'd appreciate his hyperbole . . . ) My notes don't make much of a blog entry for others to read, but I highly recommend this title and may end up re-reading it!
hockey and soccer players and birthdates . . . crazy!
1954 technology / Bill Gates / opportunities
practice and 10,000 hours
The Beatles / Hamburg
entrepreneurs / 1833
lawyers
China / rice farms / math / numbers / logic . . . fascinating section!
4853976
"Working really hard is what successful people do."
Kipp School (?) - interesting . . . rigorous
Gladwell is basically debunking outliers that have typically been shown to be extraordinary people. He identifies different factors that have opened opportunities for success. Fascinating stuff!
Sunday, April 07, 2019
The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things
by Carolyn Mackler
NPMS Berglund bookshelf, paperback 244 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction
In the past, I've had students drawn to this book because of the title. Now that I've finally read it, there are a number of ways I could booktalk it . . . Virginia is overweight and self-conscious about being a "fat" girl. She perceives the rest of her family as being normal and herself as odd-person out. Named after Virginia Woolf (her siblings are Anais and Byron), she prefers magazines, television, and snacking rather than the things her parents would like to see her doing.
I enjoyed this book, but most especially her interactions with her new doctor. His insight and emphasis on being healthy (rather than thin) make an impact on Virginia. As she learns to pay attention to her self and others, she begins to think less of her weight and more of her life.
I wrote some other notes and observations in my teaching journal, but I'll just say that this book was pleasantly surprising.
The trip to Seattle, her conversation with her dad, her letter to Anais . . . there were many good moments in this book!
NPMS Berglund bookshelf, paperback 244 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction
In the past, I've had students drawn to this book because of the title. Now that I've finally read it, there are a number of ways I could booktalk it . . . Virginia is overweight and self-conscious about being a "fat" girl. She perceives the rest of her family as being normal and herself as odd-person out. Named after Virginia Woolf (her siblings are Anais and Byron), she prefers magazines, television, and snacking rather than the things her parents would like to see her doing.
I enjoyed this book, but most especially her interactions with her new doctor. His insight and emphasis on being healthy (rather than thin) make an impact on Virginia. As she learns to pay attention to her self and others, she begins to think less of her weight and more of her life.
I wrote some other notes and observations in my teaching journal, but I'll just say that this book was pleasantly surprising.
The trip to Seattle, her conversation with her dad, her letter to Anais . . . there were many good moments in this book!
Wednesday, April 03, 2019
A Tale of Two Cities
by Charles Dickens
Scott County Library audiobook 12 CDs
read by: Martin Jarvis
genre: historical fiction
Although I felt extremely familiar with this title ("It was the best of times; it was the worst of times" . . . Madame Defarge and her knitting . . . London and Paris . . . the French Revolution . . . Sydney Carton, Charles Darnay . . . ) I'd never actually read it or seen a movie version. So I got the audiobook to give myself a first true exposure to the full novel. Oh. My. Word. This got painful.
If you've never read this and want to be surprised, stop here! I will include spoilers.
For starters, I kept a cheat sheet of quick notes in the car just for the characters . . . and I still got confused! (One of the many reasons that reading the print version is better than listening.) I Googled the character names before writing this blog entry to make sure I had correct spellings.
Jarvis Lorry - banker with Tellson's
Miss Lucie Manette
Dr. Manette - in the Tower (Bastille) for 18 years (why?!?! - I found out later . . . ) - Lucie's dad
Jacques Defarge - wine seller
Madame Defarge - knitter, vicious woman
Mr. Jerry Cruncher - messenger for Tellson's / "respectable tradesman" who digs up graves / gets angry with his wife for "flopping" - praying, which he sees as the reason he's not more successful . . .
Young Jerry - his son
Charles Darnay - imprisoned and tried in London, imprisoned and "tried" in Paris
Striver - his lawyer / "the lion"
Sydney Carton - "the jackal" / works with Striver . . . not quite sure in what capacity / he's an interesting character
Monseigneur - He was awful! I kept vacillating between thinking he was also Charles Darnay's uncle, the Marquis de Evremonde, and thinking they were two separate people. Was he / they hung? Alive? What did I miss??? In any case, he was selfish, greedy, and nasty. (Wikipedia to the rescue:
The Marquis St. Evrémonde is referred to as "Monseigneur" and "Monsieur." These three different titles all refer to the same person: people who are below the Marquis in rank refer to him as "Monseigneur" or "Monsieur," while people of equal rank refer to him as the "Marquis.")
Miss Pross - good comic relief; calls Lucie "Ladybird"
Little Lucie
Spy / Miss Pross' brother / Mr. Barsat . . .
The Mender of Roads / the Sawyer
Jacques 3 - nasty
The Vengeance
Book the First - Recalled to Life (Starts with 1775; Ends with Dr. Manette out of France)
Book the Second - The Golden Thread (Starts in 1780; Ends with Darnay going to France)
Book the Third - The Track of a Storm (Starts in Autumn 1792; Ends with everyone except Evremonde escaping)
Darnay is called "Evremonde" when he is imprisoned in France. The scene between Jarvis Lorry, Sydney Carton, Mr. Barsat, and Jerry Cruncher is one of my favorite parts of the book . . .
All of this makes me curious about the French Revolution. What happened after all the bloodshed? How many people were killed? I may need to do some research to learn more!
Madame Defarge is my least favorite character, but I wondered if she really was directly related to the young woman / husband / father / brother tended to by Dr. Manette so many years ago. How and why did she become a person "without pity" and so incredibly evil?
The Marquis - elder is Charles' dad, but died how? Then the younger (who defiled the woman) is Charles' uncle, but he is killed. This part was a bit vague for me. I wish I had a print version here to check the Marquis part.
I loved the scene between Madame Defarge and Miss Pross! Especially how it ended.
I actually cried at the last part. "It is a far, far better thing I do . . . " I recognized the quote. I've heard it many times. I didn't realize that it was said by Sydney Carton at the end of this novel! I wept like a baby.
Now that I've had my first read-through, I think I'd like to watch a video or read an abridgement . . . the French Revolution was bloody and dark.
(Below added 4.7.19)
So I got the Great Illustrated Classics version from the library. It helped put a few pieces of the puzzle into place for me.
It was Jerry Cruncher who brought the message to Jarvis Lorry in the opening scene.
It was Miss Pross who flew at Jarvis Lorry when Lucie got the news about her father.
The Marquis was stabbed in his bed by one of the Jacques . . . the man who was hanging from the chains was probably the killer . . . and he was killed the same night Charles Darnay spoke to him about renouncing his title . . . this part is still a bit fuzzy for me.
Madame Defarge really was the little sister whose family was destroyed by the Marquis. Still, she's extreme in her hatred and desire to exact revenge.
Scott County Library audiobook 12 CDs
read by: Martin Jarvis
genre: historical fiction
Although I felt extremely familiar with this title ("It was the best of times; it was the worst of times" . . . Madame Defarge and her knitting . . . London and Paris . . . the French Revolution . . . Sydney Carton, Charles Darnay . . . ) I'd never actually read it or seen a movie version. So I got the audiobook to give myself a first true exposure to the full novel. Oh. My. Word. This got painful.
If you've never read this and want to be surprised, stop here! I will include spoilers.
For starters, I kept a cheat sheet of quick notes in the car just for the characters . . . and I still got confused! (One of the many reasons that reading the print version is better than listening.) I Googled the character names before writing this blog entry to make sure I had correct spellings.
Jarvis Lorry - banker with Tellson's
Miss Lucie Manette
Dr. Manette - in the Tower (Bastille) for 18 years (why?!?! - I found out later . . . ) - Lucie's dad
Jacques Defarge - wine seller
Madame Defarge - knitter, vicious woman
Mr. Jerry Cruncher - messenger for Tellson's / "respectable tradesman" who digs up graves / gets angry with his wife for "flopping" - praying, which he sees as the reason he's not more successful . . .
Young Jerry - his son
Charles Darnay - imprisoned and tried in London, imprisoned and "tried" in Paris
Striver - his lawyer / "the lion"
Sydney Carton - "the jackal" / works with Striver . . . not quite sure in what capacity / he's an interesting character
Monseigneur - He was awful! I kept vacillating between thinking he was also Charles Darnay's uncle, the Marquis de Evremonde, and thinking they were two separate people. Was he / they hung? Alive? What did I miss??? In any case, he was selfish, greedy, and nasty. (Wikipedia to the rescue:
The Marquis St. Evrémonde is referred to as "Monseigneur" and "Monsieur." These three different titles all refer to the same person: people who are below the Marquis in rank refer to him as "Monseigneur" or "Monsieur," while people of equal rank refer to him as the "Marquis.")
Miss Pross - good comic relief; calls Lucie "Ladybird"
Little Lucie
Spy / Miss Pross' brother / Mr. Barsat . . .
The Mender of Roads / the Sawyer
Jacques 3 - nasty
The Vengeance
Book the First - Recalled to Life (Starts with 1775; Ends with Dr. Manette out of France)
Book the Second - The Golden Thread
Book the Third - The Track of a Storm (Starts in Autumn 1792; Ends with everyone except Evremonde escaping)
Darnay is called "Evremonde" when he is imprisoned in France. The scene between Jarvis Lorry, Sydney Carton, Mr. Barsat, and Jerry Cruncher is one of my favorite parts of the book . . .
All of this makes me curious about the French Revolution. What happened after all the bloodshed? How many people were killed? I may need to do some research to learn more!
Madame Defarge is my least favorite character, but I wondered if she really was directly related to the young woman / husband / father / brother tended to by Dr. Manette so many years ago. How and why did she become a person "without pity" and so incredibly evil?
The Marquis - elder is Charles' dad, but died how? Then the younger (who defiled the woman) is Charles' uncle, but he is killed. This part was a bit vague for me. I wish I had a print version here to check the Marquis part.
I loved the scene between Madame Defarge and Miss Pross! Especially how it ended.
I actually cried at the last part. "It is a far, far better thing I do . . . " I recognized the quote. I've heard it many times. I didn't realize that it was said by Sydney Carton at the end of this novel! I wept like a baby.
Now that I've had my first read-through, I think I'd like to watch a video or read an abridgement . . . the French Revolution was bloody and dark.
(Below added 4.7.19)
So I got the Great Illustrated Classics version from the library. It helped put a few pieces of the puzzle into place for me.
It was Jerry Cruncher who brought the message to Jarvis Lorry in the opening scene.
It was Miss Pross who flew at Jarvis Lorry when Lucie got the news about her father.
The Marquis was stabbed in his bed by one of the Jacques . . . the man who was hanging from the chains was probably the killer . . . and he was killed the same night Charles Darnay spoke to him about renouncing his title . . . this part is still a bit fuzzy for me.
Madame Defarge really was the little sister whose family was destroyed by the Marquis. Still, she's extreme in her hatred and desire to exact revenge.
We Hope for Better Things
by Erin Bartels
Scott County Library paperback 392 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
This was our February book club title, but I didn't get a copy of it until the night of the discussion! I wish I'd gotten it earlier - I love this book! I marked lots of pages, but will start with some of my character notes.
Elizabeth Balsam - journalist, Detroit, modern day, also Lapeer house, sister Grace (a doctor, much older), parents are missionaries in the Amazon, meets Mr. Rich (James) and his son Linden (pro NFL)
Nora Balsam - Eleanor, Elizabeth's dad's aunt, Detroit 1963, then Lapeer County house, married William Rich, quilted, sewed, grew up privileged, had a falling out with her parents, Tyrese (not William) mows her lawn
Mary Balsam - Nora's great-grandmother, Lapeer County, 1860s, married to Nathaniel, abolitionists, made Crazy Quilt (and others), died 1875, had Bridget as her serving girl, wrote letters, George, three sons and a daughter . . .
Page 91 - When Nora says she would never use the N-word, William says, "Don't matter if you'd never say it. It's what's in your heart that matters." I love his direct way of challenging her preconceived notions about herself and her attitudes throughout the book.
Page 131 - When Mary is describing the reason behind Independence Day and explaining the Revolutionary War, young Angelica asks "That the war going right now?"
"Mary shook her head. 'No, child. This was almost one hundred years ago. It was a different war.'
'Don't seem different.'
'Quiet, girl.' Martha said. 'You get outside and let me and Mrs. Balsam get to work.'"
Out of the mouths of babes! A war for liberty and the right to be in control of your own life . . . Revolutionary or Civil or both?
Page 227 - I love that George answers "You know this cannot be anything more than it is" when Mary confesses her love to him. I have to admit, this part of the story was the hardest to accept. I just can't picture this relationship at this point in history. Propriety was such a huge part of most people's expectations. George behaved much better than Mary, for the most part!
Page 301- When Nora interviewed her very elderly relative Margaret in the 1960s, she thanks her for the visit and the stories. Margaret replies with ". . . I do like talking. When you're busy living life, everything's a blur. It's not until you get to be my age and you've got nothing more to do than think that you start to see it for what it was." I love the idea of contemplation and slowing down.
Page 335 - Nora's return to her childhood home when she returns to Detroit, looking for William in the aftermath of the Detroit riots. "As much as she had told herself that William was all the family she needed now, that he was enough, he wasn't. She wanted the love of her parents too." This whole paragraph spoke to me about the value of close family relationships. I strongly dislike brokenness in families. (Though I also disliked how Nora's family spoke and acted.)
Page 338 - I love when William's mom cries out to God! "Hear us as we cry out to you. We know you know where our Will is right this moment. We know you see him, that you're looking at him even now. We're trying to trust you with him, but it's hard. We're trying to leave him in your hands, but it's so hard to do. Lord, bring him back to us. Bring him back even today, even this very hour. Hear our prayer as you heard your own Son's voice as he cried out to you on the cross. Amen."
Page 371 - When Elizabeth remarks on the difference between the huge Baptist church where she goes with Nora and the "simple hut" her parents were worshiping in in the Amazon, "What a strange and wonderful family we were all part of." Amen!
Page 376 - The trunk, the letters, the mice . . . not the ending I would have picked. But I like this observation: "Aunt Nora had been wrong when she said that history was written by the victors, for the victors in one generation may turn out to be the villains of the next. And the only way to get closer to the truth was to refuse to quit searching for it. All it took to lose one's history was a single generation that didn't take the time to learn it and pass it on."
I look forward to reading Bartels' next book. This was her first.
Scott County Library paperback 392 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
This was our February book club title, but I didn't get a copy of it until the night of the discussion! I wish I'd gotten it earlier - I love this book! I marked lots of pages, but will start with some of my character notes.
Elizabeth Balsam - journalist, Detroit, modern day, also Lapeer house, sister Grace (a doctor, much older), parents are missionaries in the Amazon, meets Mr. Rich (James) and his son Linden (pro NFL)
Nora Balsam - Eleanor, Elizabeth's dad's aunt, Detroit 1963, then Lapeer County house, married William Rich, quilted, sewed, grew up privileged, had a falling out with her parents, Tyrese (not William) mows her lawn
Mary Balsam - Nora's great-grandmother, Lapeer County, 1860s, married to Nathaniel, abolitionists, made Crazy Quilt (and others), died 1875, had Bridget as her serving girl, wrote letters, George, three sons and a daughter . . .
Page 91 - When Nora says she would never use the N-word, William says, "Don't matter if you'd never say it. It's what's in your heart that matters." I love his direct way of challenging her preconceived notions about herself and her attitudes throughout the book.
Page 131 - When Mary is describing the reason behind Independence Day and explaining the Revolutionary War, young Angelica asks "That the war going right now?"
"Mary shook her head. 'No, child. This was almost one hundred years ago. It was a different war.'
'Don't seem different.'
'Quiet, girl.' Martha said. 'You get outside and let me and Mrs. Balsam get to work.'"
Out of the mouths of babes! A war for liberty and the right to be in control of your own life . . . Revolutionary or Civil or both?
Page 227 - I love that George answers "You know this cannot be anything more than it is" when Mary confesses her love to him. I have to admit, this part of the story was the hardest to accept. I just can't picture this relationship at this point in history. Propriety was such a huge part of most people's expectations. George behaved much better than Mary, for the most part!
Page 301- When Nora interviewed her very elderly relative Margaret in the 1960s, she thanks her for the visit and the stories. Margaret replies with ". . . I do like talking. When you're busy living life, everything's a blur. It's not until you get to be my age and you've got nothing more to do than think that you start to see it for what it was." I love the idea of contemplation and slowing down.
Page 335 - Nora's return to her childhood home when she returns to Detroit, looking for William in the aftermath of the Detroit riots. "As much as she had told herself that William was all the family she needed now, that he was enough, he wasn't. She wanted the love of her parents too." This whole paragraph spoke to me about the value of close family relationships. I strongly dislike brokenness in families. (Though I also disliked how Nora's family spoke and acted.)
Page 338 - I love when William's mom cries out to God! "Hear us as we cry out to you. We know you know where our Will is right this moment. We know you see him, that you're looking at him even now. We're trying to trust you with him, but it's hard. We're trying to leave him in your hands, but it's so hard to do. Lord, bring him back to us. Bring him back even today, even this very hour. Hear our prayer as you heard your own Son's voice as he cried out to you on the cross. Amen."
Page 371 - When Elizabeth remarks on the difference between the huge Baptist church where she goes with Nora and the "simple hut" her parents were worshiping in in the Amazon, "What a strange and wonderful family we were all part of." Amen!
Page 376 - The trunk, the letters, the mice . . . not the ending I would have picked. But I like this observation: "Aunt Nora had been wrong when she said that history was written by the victors, for the victors in one generation may turn out to be the villains of the next. And the only way to get closer to the truth was to refuse to quit searching for it. All it took to lose one's history was a single generation that didn't take the time to learn it and pass it on."
I look forward to reading Bartels' next book. This was her first.
Miss Kopp's Midnight Confessions
by Amy Stewart
A Kopp Sisters Novel (#3)
Scott County Library hardcover 35 pages
genre: historical mystery fiction
Stewart has again taken the pieces of historical fact and woven a believable and enjoyable work of fiction. It is so weird to think of the change in our country over the past one hundred years . . . for good and for ill. Constance is upset about girls being arrested "over dubious charges of waywardness, incorrigibility, and moral depravity." I loved how Edna Heustis' life intertwined with Minnie Davis' . . . and I was pleasantly surprised by the resolution of Fleurette's situation. I hope Stewart continues writing these books! (I was surprised - and curious to know if it's true - that a sheriff at that time in New Jersey was only allowed to serve one term.)
A Kopp Sisters Novel (#3)
Scott County Library hardcover 35 pages
genre: historical mystery fiction
Stewart has again taken the pieces of historical fact and woven a believable and enjoyable work of fiction. It is so weird to think of the change in our country over the past one hundred years . . . for good and for ill. Constance is upset about girls being arrested "over dubious charges of waywardness, incorrigibility, and moral depravity." I loved how Edna Heustis' life intertwined with Minnie Davis' . . . and I was pleasantly surprised by the resolution of Fleurette's situation. I hope Stewart continues writing these books! (I was surprised - and curious to know if it's true - that a sheriff at that time in New Jersey was only allowed to serve one term.)
Monday, March 25, 2019
Everything She Didn't Say
by Jane Kirkpatrick
Carver County Library paperback 333 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
Although this book wasn't nearly as engaging as other titles I've read by this author, I certainly marked plenty of pages! Based on the real-life travels and memoirs of Carrie Adell Strahorn and Robert Strahorn, the "story" at times felt like more of a travelogue. Book club is in less than an hour, so I'm just going to put some quick notes here.
Page 22: "I often longed for where I'd been and where I wasn't. It was a lesson of living I hadn't yet learned about, finding the blessings of each moment." Though I get sick of people talking about "living in the moment," I need this lesson as well . . . I'm too often in a hurry to cross things off my list. Finding the blessings of each moment resonates for me.
Page 58: "My old pattern of memorizing Scripture came in handy, and I repeated a psalm as a mantra: 'Be still and know that I am God.' I saw it as a promise that God would have our backs rather than as a chastisement to be quiet."
Page 78: When Robert has trouble catching his breath after moving a trunk, I thought that he was surely going to die soon. This was at least his third illness and I just didn't think he was going to last very long!
Page 83: When she is telling her sister about the Chinese who "lay rail lines, dig in mines, cook, do laundry, sleep in colonies separate from others, and they send all their money home to family." This truthful depiction of Chinese labor is historically accurate and it makes me sad how they were treated when their labor was no longer wanted.
Page 86 and 90: When she finds out that Robert had mumps when he was young and was probably infertile . . . what a gut-punch! And he never told her about it, even though she wanted children. And when she confronted him about it, his excuses / explanations were pathetic and self-serving. Ugh!
Page 113: Might be my favorite part! "The effect of a compliment seasoning hard, dreary days was something I could give and vowed to do that more. Kindness. To notice small moments of service, even asking for a woman's name, brought joy out of proportion to the simple act. We all want to be known."
Page 117: "I overheard one of them refer to me once as 'bossy' and I'm not. I just knew what others should be doing." Hahaha! This made me laugh out loud.
Page 139: "'I'm not jesting. We all hear voices inside. Things Mama told us when we were little that remind us of some action to take in the present. Husbands tell us things we let stew inside our heads and hearts, even when they aren't present. It's not always for the best." There's some truth in this! I am trying to be better about listening to the Holy Spirit - my favorite little voice!
Page 154: "A bit of a stuffy title, but then a title is meant to tell a reader what's inside and it surely did that. I do think it's why I love to read novels, though, because the titles are meant to intrigue, perhaps be a double entendre." I'm always looking for the book title connection within the text of the novel. I love this!
Page 186: ". . . it's how we respond to the broken tracks that matters, because there will always be brokenness. It's what we do with the punches we take, the heart-stopping moments, those are the knives that carve out who we are." I love the author's language here!
Page 187: "Fear's an elixir that feeds anxiety and drains common sense." One of the few things that Robert said that I liked . . .
Page 227: "Women have a way of knowing what another needs. Some of us struggle with receiving kindness."
General observation: I love the dogs! And using "B-flat" to indicate "down" is genius, especially for a music lover.
Page 313: Her observations on the impact of Manifest Destiny also make me sad . . . history is full of grandeur and pain. I do love that chapter 36 is titled "What She Didn't Say" . . . and the connection she made in the author's note about her sister sticking with the cheery news and omitting the difficulties.
Page 329: In the author's notes, she points out that his wife of fifty years merited three sentences in his life's memoir. Then she goes on to write "Robert remarried a year after Carrie's death in 1925 and in that same memoir wrote twenty-six pages about his second wife and their two years of travel in Europe." What a jerk!
Carver County Library paperback 333 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction
Although this book wasn't nearly as engaging as other titles I've read by this author, I certainly marked plenty of pages! Based on the real-life travels and memoirs of Carrie Adell Strahorn and Robert Strahorn, the "story" at times felt like more of a travelogue. Book club is in less than an hour, so I'm just going to put some quick notes here.
Page 22: "I often longed for where I'd been and where I wasn't. It was a lesson of living I hadn't yet learned about, finding the blessings of each moment." Though I get sick of people talking about "living in the moment," I need this lesson as well . . . I'm too often in a hurry to cross things off my list. Finding the blessings of each moment resonates for me.
Page 58: "My old pattern of memorizing Scripture came in handy, and I repeated a psalm as a mantra: 'Be still and know that I am God.' I saw it as a promise that God would have our backs rather than as a chastisement to be quiet."
Page 78: When Robert has trouble catching his breath after moving a trunk, I thought that he was surely going to die soon. This was at least his third illness and I just didn't think he was going to last very long!
Page 83: When she is telling her sister about the Chinese who "lay rail lines, dig in mines, cook, do laundry, sleep in colonies separate from others, and they send all their money home to family." This truthful depiction of Chinese labor is historically accurate and it makes me sad how they were treated when their labor was no longer wanted.
Page 86 and 90: When she finds out that Robert had mumps when he was young and was probably infertile . . . what a gut-punch! And he never told her about it, even though she wanted children. And when she confronted him about it, his excuses / explanations were pathetic and self-serving. Ugh!
Page 113: Might be my favorite part! "The effect of a compliment seasoning hard, dreary days was something I could give and vowed to do that more. Kindness. To notice small moments of service, even asking for a woman's name, brought joy out of proportion to the simple act. We all want to be known."
Page 117: "I overheard one of them refer to me once as 'bossy' and I'm not. I just knew what others should be doing." Hahaha! This made me laugh out loud.
Page 139: "'I'm not jesting. We all hear voices inside. Things Mama told us when we were little that remind us of some action to take in the present. Husbands tell us things we let stew inside our heads and hearts, even when they aren't present. It's not always for the best." There's some truth in this! I am trying to be better about listening to the Holy Spirit - my favorite little voice!
Page 154: "A bit of a stuffy title, but then a title is meant to tell a reader what's inside and it surely did that. I do think it's why I love to read novels, though, because the titles are meant to intrigue, perhaps be a double entendre." I'm always looking for the book title connection within the text of the novel. I love this!
Page 186: ". . . it's how we respond to the broken tracks that matters, because there will always be brokenness. It's what we do with the punches we take, the heart-stopping moments, those are the knives that carve out who we are." I love the author's language here!
Page 187: "Fear's an elixir that feeds anxiety and drains common sense." One of the few things that Robert said that I liked . . .
Page 227: "Women have a way of knowing what another needs. Some of us struggle with receiving kindness."
General observation: I love the dogs! And using "B-flat" to indicate "down" is genius, especially for a music lover.
Page 313: Her observations on the impact of Manifest Destiny also make me sad . . . history is full of grandeur and pain. I do love that chapter 36 is titled "What She Didn't Say" . . . and the connection she made in the author's note about her sister sticking with the cheery news and omitting the difficulties.
Page 329: In the author's notes, she points out that his wife of fifty years merited three sentences in his life's memoir. Then she goes on to write "Robert remarried a year after Carrie's death in 1925 and in that same memoir wrote twenty-six pages about his second wife and their two years of travel in Europe." What a jerk!
Saturday, March 23, 2019
Hidden Figures
by Margot Lee Shetterly
Scott County Library paperback 265 pages
genre: non-fiction, history
I have to admit, this book would probably not have crossed my radar if it hadn't been for the amazing movie made based on this. I absolutely love the movie! Reading this, I see some of the places where Hollywood skewed the truth to tell a story . . . but I still love the movie! The author did a fantastic job of researching the history and tying in the racial aspects (in the people's lives, at NASA, in the South, in the United States vs. the rest of the world . . . ) with the technological aspects (human computers, mathematicians, engineers, teachers, airplanes, rockets, IBM, etc.). The book was perhaps a bit too techie for me, but I'm glad I read it and I'm even more glad that Lee Shetterly researched and wrote it!
Scott County Library paperback 265 pages
genre: non-fiction, history
I have to admit, this book would probably not have crossed my radar if it hadn't been for the amazing movie made based on this. I absolutely love the movie! Reading this, I see some of the places where Hollywood skewed the truth to tell a story . . . but I still love the movie! The author did a fantastic job of researching the history and tying in the racial aspects (in the people's lives, at NASA, in the South, in the United States vs. the rest of the world . . . ) with the technological aspects (human computers, mathematicians, engineers, teachers, airplanes, rockets, IBM, etc.). The book was perhaps a bit too techie for me, but I'm glad I read it and I'm even more glad that Lee Shetterly researched and wrote it!
Sunday, March 10, 2019
Window Treatments
I was impressed by the wealth of books in the Scott County Library system! I looked through all of these for window treatment ideas, but have decided on a different strategy for the specific project I was considering. I may want to come back to some of these for future use, though!
The Sunset Big Book of Window Treatments was delightful for visual options! Subtitled "More than 1,000 ways to dress up your windows," it really shows a lot of styles, colors, designs, etc. It's a visual feast!
The Complete Photo Guide to Window Treatments, edited by Linda Neubauer, is fantastic for DIY directions! I copied a few pages for Roman Shades, which I might try making for a window up at the lake. If I were planning to buy any of the titles I looked at, it would be this one.
Sunset's Simply Window Treatments: All you need to know to make curtains, shades, and swags was a close second. I copied the roman shades pages from this one, also, but the directions and illustrations were not quite as clear and straightforward.
The Sunset Big Book of Window Treatments was delightful for visual options! Subtitled "More than 1,000 ways to dress up your windows," it really shows a lot of styles, colors, designs, etc. It's a visual feast!
The Complete Photo Guide to Window Treatments, edited by Linda Neubauer, is fantastic for DIY directions! I copied a few pages for Roman Shades, which I might try making for a window up at the lake. If I were planning to buy any of the titles I looked at, it would be this one.
Sunset's Simply Window Treatments: All you need to know to make curtains, shades, and swags was a close second. I copied the roman shades pages from this one, also, but the directions and illustrations were not quite as clear and straightforward.
Thursday, March 07, 2019
Fish in a Tree
by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
NPMS Mrs. Weiers' copy paperback 272 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction
I had read a small section of this a while back when I subbed in Mrs. Bowers' room. Then I saw it on Mrs. Weiers' desk Monday and started reading it from the beginning. Well . . . I borrowed it today and finished it! What a lovely book!
Sixth grader Ally Nickerson is really good at drawing and figuring things out, but she struggles to read. She is teased by some of the mean girls at school (mostly Shay) and gets in trouble a lot. When her teacher goes on maternity leave and Mr. Daniels shows up, Ally's world is changed! I wish all teachers were like Mr. Daniels!
Page 63 - "I'm not perfect, but at least I'm not mean. And then my heart sinks, because I realize that I just was. I guess I did it because I was lonely. Now I know that there are worse things than being lonely."
Page 106-7 - The scene where Ally tells Albert and Keisha how she got on Shay's bad side . . . too funny!
Page 142 - "I'd rather be in charge of teaching cats to play hockey."
Page 158 - "'You are smart, Ally. And you are going to learn to read.' A chill runs through my whole body. I don't have any choice but to believe him, because I can't go another day thinking things will be like this forever."
Page 184 - "And I think of words. The power they have. How they can be waved around like a wand - sometimes for good, like how Mr. Daniels uses them. How he makes kids like me and Oliver feel better about ourselves. And how words can also be used for bad. To hurt."
Page 273-4 Her "Dear Readers" note at the end . . . I love it as much as the book! Ally is a wonderful protagonist who cares deeply about her family and her new friends. This book is as much about celebrating the best in humanity as it is about learning to read.
The above was written 3/17/2019. On 1/13/2020, I finished listening to the audio version, read by Kathleen McInerney. The skeptic in me doesn't think a student could make it all the way to sixth grade without an educator realizing she has dyslexia and cannot read, but the realist in me knows that students who move a lot often get lost in the shuffle. Also, some kids come up with excellent coping mechanisms that deceive the adults about what's really going on. This is a wonderful book, especially Ally and her brother Travis, their love for their parents and their grandpa, the "Silver Dollar" and "Wooden Nickel" days, . . . .
In April 2021, I read it *again* while subbing at New Prague High School. The media specialist had bought it for some of her students with learning challenges. I had time, so read it a third time! Hunt is such an amazingly talented author. I cried as I finished this book! I love Ally Nickerson, her teacher, and her love for her brother. I love the impact their grandpa had on them. I love this book!
8.18.2023 - Yes, I really do like this book a lot. I listened while at work (Libby app). Kathleen McInerney does a wonderful job. Kudos to Hunt for writing such an incredible book.
Sunday, March 03, 2019
An Unsuitable Job for a Woman
by P.D. James
Scott County Library audiobook 8 CDs
read by Penelope Dellaporta
genre: detective mystery
Cordelia Gray is a young private detective. Initially, I thought the story was set earlier, but soon realized that the young Mark Callendar was born in the 1950s.
What I liked:
Scott County Library audiobook 8 CDs
read by Penelope Dellaporta
genre: detective mystery
Cordelia Gray is a young private detective. Initially, I thought the story was set earlier, but soon realized that the young Mark Callendar was born in the 1950s.
What I liked:
- clues, in classic whodunnit style
- the mysteries!
- not knowing who the murderer was for most of the story . . . in fact, I had lots of theories, but they all proved wrong!
- the interesting characters . . . I could almost picture the cast if it were an Agatha Christie mystery!
- the details in the story
- the reader's voice - Dellaporta is so talented! I would pick an audiobook just to hear her!
- who the murderer was . . . and what actually happened. Yuk.
- what Cordelia decided to do in the climactic scene . . . I just found her decision to be disappointing, even though I understand her motivation for doing so
Monday, February 25, 2019
Lady Cop Makes Trouble
Kopp Sisters #2
by Amy Stewart
Scott County Library hardcover 310 pages
genre: Historical mystery fiction
Set in the 19teens, this book is also based on historical people and events. Constance Kopp is employed as a jail matron for the female prisoners, but longs to be a deputy. When a dangerous prisoner escapes from a hospital room during a storm, Kopp feels personally responsible and tries to track him down. There is less of Norma and Fleurette in this story, but enough to keep Constance grounded and challenged. Fleurette's flair for drama (and skill at sewing) are clearly leading to some new ground for the Kopp sisters. I've already reserved book 3 at the library!
I liked this line from page 282: "The two of them sat resolutely behind bars, having decided, apparently, that they would trade their liberty for familial solidarity. Sometimes a family was like a swamp, everyone mired in the same mud." (I'm not sure I agree with it, but it did make me grin. There's something about family bonds . . . )
I absolutely love her "historical notes, sources, and acknowledgments" at the end of the book. What excellent research! I love how she identifies factual sources and her embellishments in storytelling. She has mad skills! Looking forward to continuing to read these exploits.
by Amy Stewart
Scott County Library hardcover 310 pages
genre: Historical mystery fiction
Set in the 19teens, this book is also based on historical people and events. Constance Kopp is employed as a jail matron for the female prisoners, but longs to be a deputy. When a dangerous prisoner escapes from a hospital room during a storm, Kopp feels personally responsible and tries to track him down. There is less of Norma and Fleurette in this story, but enough to keep Constance grounded and challenged. Fleurette's flair for drama (and skill at sewing) are clearly leading to some new ground for the Kopp sisters. I've already reserved book 3 at the library!
I liked this line from page 282: "The two of them sat resolutely behind bars, having decided, apparently, that they would trade their liberty for familial solidarity. Sometimes a family was like a swamp, everyone mired in the same mud." (I'm not sure I agree with it, but it did make me grin. There's something about family bonds . . . )
I absolutely love her "historical notes, sources, and acknowledgments" at the end of the book. What excellent research! I love how she identifies factual sources and her embellishments in storytelling. She has mad skills! Looking forward to continuing to read these exploits.
Sunday, February 24, 2019
King Peggy: An American Secretary, Her Royal Destiny, and the Inspiring Story of How She Changed an African Village
by Peggieliene Bartels and Eleanor Herman
personal copy paperback 334 pages
genre: biography / memoir
My son Alex and his wife gave this book to me a few years ago. Now that I've finally read it, I need to ask them if they met either of the authors . . . I'm not sure what the connection was for them to get this book and then give it to me. My sister wanted to read it for her book club, so that motivated me to finish it and loan it!
Peggy Bartels was born in Ghana, but had been working and living in Washington D.C. at the Ghanian embassy for years when she received a call that her uncle had died. The "spirits" had chosen her as the new king. After getting over her shock and disbelief, she needed to decide if she would accept the responsibility or not.
Her odyssey (living in the U.S. for 10-11 months each year and then traveling to Otuam, Ghana for the other month or two) was expensive and arduous. Her royal advisors were crooked, stealing from the money that should have gone toward the betterment of the village. The book was interesting and worth reading, but I struggled with the descriptor of her as a "devout Christian" intermixed with her pouring libations to the ancestors and talking to the spirits of the stool for direction.
Here are some passages I noted that I really liked or reacted to as I was reading:
Page 48 - "An African wearing kente, or even regular cloth decorated with adinkra symbols, walked out into the world proclaiming what he or she stood for: strength, family, or forgiveness, powerful concepts that helped you get through your day. Peggy opened her closet and looked at the row of black and brown pantsuits she usually wore to the office. How sad, she thought, that we Americans dress like this. We walk outside every morning with no power, no symbolism, no added bit of spiritual heft to help us meet our challenges."
Page 159 - "My people have no running water, she thought, and bad schools, and minimal health care, and electricity only part of the time. Most have no cars, no television, and no radio, and the kids don't have games or toys. We are poor in gadgets, but rich in so many other ways. And America, despite all its riches , and despite all the buttons you can push there, is in some respects poor."
Page 166 - (When the door fell off the refrigerator and Cousin Charles fixed it with a piece of cork) "'There!' he said, satisfied. He looked at Peggy. 'I know that in America you go out and buy new things when something breaks. But this is African engineering at an African price.'" I love that!
Page 198 - I laughed when I read the section about Tsiami's virility, even though I mostly thought he was a jerk.
Page 260 - "Returning to Ghana had made Peggy more aware than ever before of the concept of African family, of the interlocking layers of support needed to ensure that the weakest do not falter."
Page 317 - When Tsiami explained what Isaiah and Baba Kobena had done, in agreement with Uncle Joseph's daughters, it was heartbreaking. "Those in the room lowered their heads in shame at the story, except for Peggy. Her head was high, and her eyes flashing. But they haven't won, Peggy thought. Because there is a God who doesn't approve of dishonoring corpses, especially that of the person who gave you life. They haven't won because there is a God who hates deceit and bribery and causing pain to innocent people, a God who will punish the wicked. Honor thy father and mother, God said, and he wasn't joking."
Page 333 - "When I first cheerfully got on a plane headed for Ghana I had no idea that the experience would be life-changing. There are many Americans - I myself was one of them - who live in big houses with every luxury money can buy and who are, nonetheless, stressed, depressed, and take for granted so much of what we have. Until my trip to Otuam, I was never grateful for the faucet that brought me clean water, hot or cold, at a touch. For flush toilets. For the ambulance that arrives at our doors within minutes of a 911 call. For food and clothing, heating and air-conditioning. Yet most of the people of Otuam, despite their poverty and their lack of water, health care, and educational opportunities, are grateful for every blessing and find joy in their faith, families, and friends in a way that those of us trapped in suburban depression can't imagine."
personal copy paperback 334 pages
genre: biography / memoir
My son Alex and his wife gave this book to me a few years ago. Now that I've finally read it, I need to ask them if they met either of the authors . . . I'm not sure what the connection was for them to get this book and then give it to me. My sister wanted to read it for her book club, so that motivated me to finish it and loan it!
Peggy Bartels was born in Ghana, but had been working and living in Washington D.C. at the Ghanian embassy for years when she received a call that her uncle had died. The "spirits" had chosen her as the new king. After getting over her shock and disbelief, she needed to decide if she would accept the responsibility or not.
Her odyssey (living in the U.S. for 10-11 months each year and then traveling to Otuam, Ghana for the other month or two) was expensive and arduous. Her royal advisors were crooked, stealing from the money that should have gone toward the betterment of the village. The book was interesting and worth reading, but I struggled with the descriptor of her as a "devout Christian" intermixed with her pouring libations to the ancestors and talking to the spirits of the stool for direction.
Here are some passages I noted that I really liked or reacted to as I was reading:
Page 48 - "An African wearing kente, or even regular cloth decorated with adinkra symbols, walked out into the world proclaiming what he or she stood for: strength, family, or forgiveness, powerful concepts that helped you get through your day. Peggy opened her closet and looked at the row of black and brown pantsuits she usually wore to the office. How sad, she thought, that we Americans dress like this. We walk outside every morning with no power, no symbolism, no added bit of spiritual heft to help us meet our challenges."
Page 159 - "My people have no running water, she thought, and bad schools, and minimal health care, and electricity only part of the time. Most have no cars, no television, and no radio, and the kids don't have games or toys. We are poor in gadgets, but rich in so many other ways. And America, despite all its riches , and despite all the buttons you can push there, is in some respects poor."
Page 166 - (When the door fell off the refrigerator and Cousin Charles fixed it with a piece of cork) "'There!' he said, satisfied. He looked at Peggy. 'I know that in America you go out and buy new things when something breaks. But this is African engineering at an African price.'" I love that!
Page 198 - I laughed when I read the section about Tsiami's virility, even though I mostly thought he was a jerk.
Page 260 - "Returning to Ghana had made Peggy more aware than ever before of the concept of African family, of the interlocking layers of support needed to ensure that the weakest do not falter."
Page 317 - When Tsiami explained what Isaiah and Baba Kobena had done, in agreement with Uncle Joseph's daughters, it was heartbreaking. "Those in the room lowered their heads in shame at the story, except for Peggy. Her head was high, and her eyes flashing. But they haven't won, Peggy thought. Because there is a God who doesn't approve of dishonoring corpses, especially that of the person who gave you life. They haven't won because there is a God who hates deceit and bribery and causing pain to innocent people, a God who will punish the wicked. Honor thy father and mother, God said, and he wasn't joking."
Page 333 - "When I first cheerfully got on a plane headed for Ghana I had no idea that the experience would be life-changing. There are many Americans - I myself was one of them - who live in big houses with every luxury money can buy and who are, nonetheless, stressed, depressed, and take for granted so much of what we have. Until my trip to Otuam, I was never grateful for the faucet that brought me clean water, hot or cold, at a touch. For flush toilets. For the ambulance that arrives at our doors within minutes of a 911 call. For food and clothing, heating and air-conditioning. Yet most of the people of Otuam, despite their poverty and their lack of water, health care, and educational opportunities, are grateful for every blessing and find joy in their faith, families, and friends in a way that those of us trapped in suburban depression can't imagine."
Monday, February 18, 2019
Scar Island
by Dan Gemeinhart
NPMS paperback 249 pages
genre: YA dystopian
A student was reading this when I was subbing last week. I got another copy from the media center and read it to respond to some questions he had. I will see him tomorrow at school.
I made a cheat sheet for the characters because there are a lot of them! (Sixteen boys on a desolate island being punished for juvenile offenses, plus eight adults . . . and three other adults.) Kind of a nasty story, but just right for middle school.
I like that the author referenced great literature - Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, Lord of the Flies, and Moby Dick. I wonder if any students reading this would try to tackle those titles. My favorite character (besides the protagonist Jonathan) was the librarian!
The Admiral and his men are nasty creeps who should not be working with adolescent reform in any way! This book is a page-turner for sure.
NPMS paperback 249 pages
genre: YA dystopian
A student was reading this when I was subbing last week. I got another copy from the media center and read it to respond to some questions he had. I will see him tomorrow at school.
I made a cheat sheet for the characters because there are a lot of them! (Sixteen boys on a desolate island being punished for juvenile offenses, plus eight adults . . . and three other adults.) Kind of a nasty story, but just right for middle school.
I like that the author referenced great literature - Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, Lord of the Flies, and Moby Dick. I wonder if any students reading this would try to tackle those titles. My favorite character (besides the protagonist Jonathan) was the librarian!
The Admiral and his men are nasty creeps who should not be working with adolescent reform in any way! This book is a page-turner for sure.
The Secrets of Wishtide: A Laetitia Rodd Mystery
by Kate Saunders
Scott County Library, audiobook, 9 CDs
read by Anna Bentinck
genre: Historical murder mystery
Set in the 1850s, this was a delightful story! I will have to see if this author has other titles. I didn't make many notes, but it was a good mystery with lots of different elements.
Sir James is a jerk! I disliked him even before I found out about his double standards for his own conduct vs. his wife's (and his deception regarding Esther). I ended up really liking Mrs. Hardy, especially when she told Laetitia "I'm a fallen woman, not a kept one." Mrs. Calderstone's role got better toward the end.
Blackbeard
Mrs. Gammon (Sally or Sarah?)
Mrs. Orn? Helen
So many different characters and locations in England! (And Antwerp . . . )
Arrowsmith / Gammon / Saville
Bentinck's vocal work is absolutely superb!
<Blogged above 2.18.19. Below added 11.29.22>
I don't have a lot to add, but I re-read it in Libby last week. The parents hire Mrs. Rodd to dissuade their son from marrying Mrs. Orm(?), a widow. As she tries to find out more about the woman, she learns that she likes her. But when murders start happening and the young master is going on trial, the case really heats up.
Sisters Blanche and Elizabeth are lovely counterparts to the main characters. But her confidante and landlady, Mrs. Bentley, who once let rooms to
John Keats, is my favorite character.
Pastwatch: the Redemption of Christopher Columbus
by Orson Scott Card
PRMS discard, hardbound, 398 pages
genre: SciFi
Although Card is one of my favorite authors, I have been plowing through this slowly over several months. I'm on page 256, and I've decided to just let it go. I've never been a huge fan of time travel stories and this one is partly fascinating and partly irritating. "Pastwatch" is a technology that allows the watchers to go back in time and observe people and events in the past. Then a watcher realizes that the people being watched can *see* her! This changes everything.
The Christopher Columbus portions of the story - his history, motivations, and beliefs - are interesting, but I wonder how much research Card did and how accurate he is. His sources list at the end is pretty impressive.
A few passages really caught my attention. On page 49, "His words were so confident - yet she felt a dizzying vertigo, as if she stood on the edge of a great chasm, and the ground had just shifted a little under her feet. What sort of arrogance did she have, even to imagine reaching back into the past and making changes? Who am I, she thought, if I dare to answer prayers intended for the gods?"
The conversation on page 194 about going back (and who should go back and why . . . ) would have been a fascinating conversation to have with my peers when I was a teenager or a young adult. Now it doesn't interest me. It seems pointless.
This comment on page 203 amused me. "I know that to mate with someone without marriage is a repudiation of the community, a refusal to take one's proper role within the society."
It feels liberating to not spend more energy on this book. I have so many others I want to read!
PRMS discard, hardbound, 398 pages
genre: SciFi
Although Card is one of my favorite authors, I have been plowing through this slowly over several months. I'm on page 256, and I've decided to just let it go. I've never been a huge fan of time travel stories and this one is partly fascinating and partly irritating. "Pastwatch" is a technology that allows the watchers to go back in time and observe people and events in the past. Then a watcher realizes that the people being watched can *see* her! This changes everything.
The Christopher Columbus portions of the story - his history, motivations, and beliefs - are interesting, but I wonder how much research Card did and how accurate he is. His sources list at the end is pretty impressive.
A few passages really caught my attention. On page 49, "His words were so confident - yet she felt a dizzying vertigo, as if she stood on the edge of a great chasm, and the ground had just shifted a little under her feet. What sort of arrogance did she have, even to imagine reaching back into the past and making changes? Who am I, she thought, if I dare to answer prayers intended for the gods?"
The conversation on page 194 about going back (and who should go back and why . . . ) would have been a fascinating conversation to have with my peers when I was a teenager or a young adult. Now it doesn't interest me. It seems pointless.
This comment on page 203 amused me. "I know that to mate with someone without marriage is a repudiation of the community, a refusal to take one's proper role within the society."
It feels liberating to not spend more energy on this book. I have so many others I want to read!
Thursday, February 07, 2019
American Heart Association Low-Salt Cookbook (4th edition)
A Complete Guide to Reducing Sodium and Fat in Your Diet
Scott County Library hardcover
genre: cookbook, health
I kept this for so long so I could read all the intro info and try a few recipes. I think I'll just add it to my wish list or Amazon cart and get it back to the library. I believe that I could make a bigger effort to reduce my sodium. I am willing to try new things. This book seems much better than the last one I looked at . . . which I may or may not have blogged about. I think the American Heart Association has more information about heart healthy options. I especially like that there are recipes for seasonings, sauces, soups, etc.
Scott County Library hardcover
genre: cookbook, health
I kept this for so long so I could read all the intro info and try a few recipes. I think I'll just add it to my wish list or Amazon cart and get it back to the library. I believe that I could make a bigger effort to reduce my sodium. I am willing to try new things. This book seems much better than the last one I looked at . . . which I may or may not have blogged about. I think the American Heart Association has more information about heart healthy options. I especially like that there are recipes for seasonings, sauces, soups, etc.
Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose
by Joe Biden
Scott County Library hardcover 206 pages
genre: memoir
I was very interested in reading about Joe Biden's son Beau. Those parts of this book were quite good. The political parts, with speeches, travel, etc. were kind of dull. The topics are quite important, but I was more interested in the personal. It kind of amazes me that I didn't realize Biden had such a major personal tragedy early in his adult life! He lost his first wife and daughter in a car accident that injured his young sons Beau and Hunter. . .
On page 77, when he relates President Obama's concerns about a possible "Biden in 2016" campaign, I put a post-it note. "For one thing, the president recognized the media's increasing appetite for the drama of politics over real policy." How sad it is to look back at that sentiment, now that we have a president who is all about drama over real policy.
Page 95 includes an interchange between Biden and Putin, but I question its veracity.
"Mr. Prime Minister, I'm looking into your eyes," I told him, smiling. "I don't think you have a soul."
He looked at me for a second and smiled back. "We understand each other," he said.
If true, that is simply too creepy. Putin is scary enough without him admitting to having no soul.
Scott County Library hardcover 206 pages
genre: memoir
I was very interested in reading about Joe Biden's son Beau. Those parts of this book were quite good. The political parts, with speeches, travel, etc. were kind of dull. The topics are quite important, but I was more interested in the personal. It kind of amazes me that I didn't realize Biden had such a major personal tragedy early in his adult life! He lost his first wife and daughter in a car accident that injured his young sons Beau and Hunter. . .
On page 77, when he relates President Obama's concerns about a possible "Biden in 2016" campaign, I put a post-it note. "For one thing, the president recognized the media's increasing appetite for the drama of politics over real policy." How sad it is to look back at that sentiment, now that we have a president who is all about drama over real policy.
Page 95 includes an interchange between Biden and Putin, but I question its veracity.
"Mr. Prime Minister, I'm looking into your eyes," I told him, smiling. "I don't think you have a soul."
He looked at me for a second and smiled back. "We understand each other," he said.
If true, that is simply too creepy. Putin is scary enough without him admitting to having no soul.
Shade: A Tale of Two Presidents
by Pete Souza
Scott County Library hardcover 238 pages
genre: photojournalism, politics
I didn't like this book nearly as much as Souza's Obama. I appreciate the juxtaposition of Trump's tweets with Obama's demeanor and behavior, but this wasn't as joyous a book as the first one. I find Souza's late-to-the-game understanding of "shade" to be humorous. I also liked that there were some photos I'd not seen before. It would have been disappointing if it were just a re-hash of what's already been published. Overall, I liked it but wouldn't want to own it.
Scott County Library hardcover 238 pages
genre: photojournalism, politics
I didn't like this book nearly as much as Souza's Obama. I appreciate the juxtaposition of Trump's tweets with Obama's demeanor and behavior, but this wasn't as joyous a book as the first one. I find Souza's late-to-the-game understanding of "shade" to be humorous. I also liked that there were some photos I'd not seen before. It would have been disappointing if it were just a re-hash of what's already been published. Overall, I liked it but wouldn't want to own it.
Saturday, February 02, 2019
Okay for Now
by Gary D. Schmidt
Scott County Library audiobook 8 CDs
read by Lincoln Hoppe
genre: YA historical fiction
Gary D. Schmidt is one of my favorite YA authors! He is amazing - Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, The Wednesday Wars, . . . He is simply phenomenal. I am frustrated, though, at how hard it can be to "sell" his books to today's readers. The era for this one (Vietnam War) is so foreign to today's tweens and teens. So many of the cultural references won't make any sense. The angst, family dynamics, and struggles of main character Doug will still resonate, though.
Doug Swieteck's dad is an angry man. When he moves his family to Marysville, New York, Doug is miserable. His brother Christopher has "a twisted criminal mind" and his oldest brother Lucas is in Vietnam. I don't want to give away spoilers, so I'll just say that it's an amazing story and well worth reading! Lincoln Hoppe's vocal work is exceptional; this is a great listen-to.
Things I want to capture: Mr. "Big Bucks" Ballard, horseshoes, orchids, Lil, Spicer's Deli, deliveries, Mrs. Windermere, Audobon's birds, "skinny delivery boy," Joe Pepitone, the jacket, Jane Eyre, art, reading, school, Coach Swieteck, "so-called" gym teacher, the Dougherty family, . . . The Wikipedia page for this book has images of all the Audobon bird drawings that head the chapters. Fun to look at them!
I would love to find a middle schooler who enjoys historical fiction. I'd recommend all three of Schmidt's books and Ruth Sepetys' as well.
Notes from my car:
Unhappy, angry boy with angry alcoholic dad, two mean older brothers, and sweet, resigned mom.
Why set in this era? Connection to modern kids?
"jerk" "remember" "chump" "I'm not lying" etc. . . . repetition used effectively or too irritating?
Dad is reprehensible!
Scott County Library audiobook 8 CDs
read by Lincoln Hoppe
genre: YA historical fiction
Gary D. Schmidt is one of my favorite YA authors! He is amazing - Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, The Wednesday Wars, . . . He is simply phenomenal. I am frustrated, though, at how hard it can be to "sell" his books to today's readers. The era for this one (Vietnam War) is so foreign to today's tweens and teens. So many of the cultural references won't make any sense. The angst, family dynamics, and struggles of main character Doug will still resonate, though.
Doug Swieteck's dad is an angry man. When he moves his family to Marysville, New York, Doug is miserable. His brother Christopher has "a twisted criminal mind" and his oldest brother Lucas is in Vietnam. I don't want to give away spoilers, so I'll just say that it's an amazing story and well worth reading! Lincoln Hoppe's vocal work is exceptional; this is a great listen-to.
Things I want to capture: Mr. "Big Bucks" Ballard, horseshoes, orchids, Lil, Spicer's Deli, deliveries, Mrs. Windermere, Audobon's birds, "skinny delivery boy," Joe Pepitone, the jacket, Jane Eyre, art, reading, school, Coach Swieteck, "so-called" gym teacher, the Dougherty family, . . . The Wikipedia page for this book has images of all the Audobon bird drawings that head the chapters. Fun to look at them!
I would love to find a middle schooler who enjoys historical fiction. I'd recommend all three of Schmidt's books and Ruth Sepetys' as well.
Notes from my car:
Unhappy, angry boy with angry alcoholic dad, two mean older brothers, and sweet, resigned mom.
Why set in this era? Connection to modern kids?
"jerk" "remember" "chump" "I'm not lying" etc. . . . repetition used effectively or too irritating?
Dad is reprehensible!
Monday, January 21, 2019
Stars Over Clear Lake
by Loretta Ellsworth
Scott County Library audiobook 8 CDs
read by Tavia Gilbert
genre: Historical fiction
This was a delightful story set in a place I've visited - Clear Lake, Iowa. Alternating between the 1940s and 2007, we meet Lorraine Kindred (cool last name) as a teenager and a woman in her 70s, mourning the loss of her beloved husband Sid.
The story was delightful! I don't want to give too much away, so I'll just jot my notes here.
1944 - the mom is *nasty*
Sid - prominent character in the 2000s . . . but not mentioned in the 1940s at all
The Surf Ballroom - cool history!!!
Pete's letter . . . so glad he sent it.
1944-47 - I love this part the best!
2007 - kind of depressing
Daisy's a B-I-*-*-*
Stella . . . not much of a friend
Lance Dugan is a jerk
Scotty / Jens (sounds like "Yens") . . . could one of them be Sid???
Miss Berkland - love her!
YES! I love the part where we find out (finally) who Sid is/was!
The author's note at the end was fascinating. There were over 700 POW camps in the U.S. during WWII. Sounds like I should make a trip to Camp Algona in Iowa . . . and visit The Surf (the rebuilt one, of course) while I'm in the area.
What a fun book! I was entertained and I learned. Delightful!
Scott County Library audiobook 8 CDs
read by Tavia Gilbert
genre: Historical fiction
This was a delightful story set in a place I've visited - Clear Lake, Iowa. Alternating between the 1940s and 2007, we meet Lorraine Kindred (cool last name) as a teenager and a woman in her 70s, mourning the loss of her beloved husband Sid.
The story was delightful! I don't want to give too much away, so I'll just jot my notes here.
1944 - the mom is *nasty*
Sid - prominent character in the 2000s . . . but not mentioned in the 1940s at all
The Surf Ballroom - cool history!!!
Pete's letter . . . so glad he sent it.
1944-47 - I love this part the best!
2007 - kind of depressing
Daisy's a B-I-*-*-*
Stella . . . not much of a friend
Lance Dugan is a jerk
Scotty / Jens (sounds like "Yens") . . . could one of them be Sid???
Miss Berkland - love her!
YES! I love the part where we find out (finally) who Sid is/was!
The author's note at the end was fascinating. There were over 700 POW camps in the U.S. during WWII. Sounds like I should make a trip to Camp Algona in Iowa . . . and visit The Surf (the rebuilt one, of course) while I'm in the area.
What a fun book! I was entertained and I learned. Delightful!
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
The Man He Never Was
by James L. Rubart
Scott County Library paperback 364 pages
genre: Christian fiction
I waited too long to start reading this and have to return it to the library (two days ago . . . someone's waiting . . . and I had already renewed it . . . bad library user!) so I speed-read it last night. No post-it notes.
It will be interesting to discuss it at book club this month. Toren Daniels had a major anger problem. When he disappeared for eight months, people thought he was dead. His sudden reappearance (with no memory of where he'd been for that time) causes major havoc in the lives of his family, friends, and football fans.
What I liked: the Jekyll / Hyde analogy, with the "two halves" of good and evil, along with the fable of the two dogs, black and white
What I disliked: Toren was kind of an irritating character. Plus, how on earth did all these people survive financially for so long with no apparent income? It's not like he had been an NFL star before his disappearance!
Again, I look forward to hearing book club conversation about this title.
Scott County Library paperback 364 pages
genre: Christian fiction
I waited too long to start reading this and have to return it to the library (two days ago . . . someone's waiting . . . and I had already renewed it . . . bad library user!) so I speed-read it last night. No post-it notes.
It will be interesting to discuss it at book club this month. Toren Daniels had a major anger problem. When he disappeared for eight months, people thought he was dead. His sudden reappearance (with no memory of where he'd been for that time) causes major havoc in the lives of his family, friends, and football fans.
What I liked: the Jekyll / Hyde analogy, with the "two halves" of good and evil, along with the fable of the two dogs, black and white
What I disliked: Toren was kind of an irritating character. Plus, how on earth did all these people survive financially for so long with no apparent income? It's not like he had been an NFL star before his disappearance!
Again, I look forward to hearing book club conversation about this title.
Monday, January 14, 2019
Girl Waits With Gun
by Amy Stewart
Scott County Library hardcover 404 pages
genre: historical fiction, detective
I don't remember where I heard about this book, but it pairs well with Miss Phryne Fischer's mysteries. In this story, Constance Kopp and her sisters Norma and Fleurette live on the family farm after their mother's death. Their brother Francis lives in town and keeps trying to convince his sisters to move in with him, his wife, and their children. One day when the sisters head into town in their horse buggy, an automobile crashes into them and destroys the buggy. This first encounter with silk factory boss Henry Kaufman just leads to worse and worse circumstances.
Set in 1914, the author used actual letters and newspaper articles to build this inventive story of Constance and her amazing life. I am curious about the historical person who lived . . . and the author shares some of her fact / fiction choices in the author's endnotes. But I am interested enough to request book two and see where the story goes!
Oh! I made a note of page 107 . . . and the Singer man. I was quite surprised by this part of the story!
Added 1/30/2019 (two weeks later):
I found where I first heard about this book . . . a page torn from a Costco Connections magazine.
Scott County Library hardcover 404 pages
genre: historical fiction, detective
I don't remember where I heard about this book, but it pairs well with Miss Phryne Fischer's mysteries. In this story, Constance Kopp and her sisters Norma and Fleurette live on the family farm after their mother's death. Their brother Francis lives in town and keeps trying to convince his sisters to move in with him, his wife, and their children. One day when the sisters head into town in their horse buggy, an automobile crashes into them and destroys the buggy. This first encounter with silk factory boss Henry Kaufman just leads to worse and worse circumstances.
Set in 1914, the author used actual letters and newspaper articles to build this inventive story of Constance and her amazing life. I am curious about the historical person who lived . . . and the author shares some of her fact / fiction choices in the author's endnotes. But I am interested enough to request book two and see where the story goes!
Oh! I made a note of page 107 . . . and the Singer man. I was quite surprised by this part of the story!
Added 1/30/2019 (two weeks later):
I found where I first heard about this book . . . a page torn from a Costco Connections magazine.
Tuesday, January 08, 2019
The Drifters
by James A. Michener
Hennepin County Library, paperback 722 pages
genre: Realistic fiction (at this point, it's like historical fiction, but that's not how it was written)
A dear friend talked about how significant this book was in her reading as a teenager. I haven't read any books by Michener, so I got this one. In doing a little pre-reading, I learned that Michener's Tales of the South Pacific (a book of short stories) inspired the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical!
This book was fascinating to me on some levels and kind of repugnant on others. The first six chapters each have two pages of quotations and excerpts from different sources. These alone are interesting and sparked my curiosity! The chapters introduce the main (young) characters - Joe, a draft dodger; Britta, a Norwegian girl who wants to be in the sun; Monica, an English girl who is living in Africa and is filled with disdain for her father; Cato, an African-American who is disillusioned with his father's Christianity and his own prospects for the future; Yigal, an Israeli-American who feels pulled between his two countries; and Gretchen, a talented singer and guitar player who encounters police brutality in Chicago.
Written in 1971, this almost reads to me like a historical novel. Some of the events and characters' attitudes are definitely dated to the late 60s / early 70s. The Wikipedia page actually has very good summary info - on the chapters, the characters, and the places (real / fictional). I tagged a lot of pages, so I'll just comment on those.
Page 51 - Mr. Mogstad (her boss) forcing himself on Britta. She was . . . "quite unprepared for this assault and in a kind of dumb panic allowed him to have his way, not certain what other course might be available to her. It was a messy business, clumsy, frightening and totally disgusting, with Mr. Mogstad's dirty mustaches and fetid breath adding to the ugliness." This made me so sad and mad. Too many girls and young women have real experiences like this!
Page 69 - Britta: "Oh God, I am so afraid. I am so alone." As she expresses this, it made me think of people who do cry out to the Lord and are delivered. That doesn't happen in this story, but I like that the crying out was at least there.
Page 111 - People discussing Monica's poor behavior and the generation gap in general: "I suppose the best thing a parent can do these days when society refuses to give us any help and when even the schools and churches are powerless, is to start when the child is in the cradle and try in our own way to give her a sense of values . . . " I thought, "Duh! It doesn't matter much what society, schools, and churches are up to - of COURSE you have to work on developing values with your own children!"
Page 181 - When Grandpa Melnikoff and Mr. Fairbanks are talking about the quality of education in Israel vs. The United States: "in America nearly every child goes to high school. In Israel about one out of twenty-five makes it. Reali ought to be superior. It doesn't have to bother with the clods." I don't know if this info was ever accurate, but it made me think of the education comparisons I've often heard in my career. This can be maddening when the comparisons are not accurate!
Page 202 - Yigal: "his growing awareness that a surprising number of well-educated Jews in the Detroit area were turning against Israel and finding it fashionable to parade pro-Arab sentiments." I thought this section was fascinating. I've heard others expound on the injustice of Israel even existing . . . and I get the sense that they sympathize with the Arabs / Palestinians without really understanding why they do. I'm no expert on the Middle East, but I do know that the conflict is rooted in a lot of complex issues and a long history. This is no simple black and white story.
Page 235 - Mr. Fairbanks realizing something while listening to Gretchen. "The songs I heard that winter in Boston were an invitation to rebellion, and for the first time I realized that if able young people like Gretchen had been nurtured on these songs over the past ten years - the most formative of their lives - things in the adult world were bound to be changed." This is actually a pretty profound thought. What music has been "nurturing" the current youth for the last ten years? How has the youth psyche been formed?
Page 313 - Mr. Fairbanks - "But deeper than that was the unspoken feeling that at my age of sixty-one, this would be the last young group I would ever associate with; my own son was lost to me through bitter misunderstandings and I felt the need of comprehending what the youth of this age were up to. I saw in them the only hope for the future, the vitality of our society, and I approved of much they were attempting." This sentiment becomes even more ironic to me by the end of the book. I don't really understand Mr. Fairbanks' ineffectual attempts to be a part of the young peoples' lives. And knowing that he "lost" his own son . . . this just makes me sad.
Page 365 - When Cato rages about the space program being an exclusively white endeavor, I immediately thought of the book and movie Hidden Figures. Even though I completely understand his point and even though racism clearly impacted those who worked at NASA in the 1960s, it made me smile to think of the amazing women who made a difference!
Page 390 - Mr. Fairbanks reflecting on his youthful time in the Orient . . . "And actually puncture my arm to inject a foreign substance into my bloodstream? Impossible. I even use alcohol sparingly, because I feel no desire to enhance my capacity for sensation; I already experience things too deeply." And yet Mr. Fairbanks observed his group of young friends travel further and further into destructive drug behavior.
Page 504 - Interesting discussion between Mr. Melnikoff and Mr. Fairbanks on the differences in Irish Catholics integrating into America versus African Americans assimilating. "A white Irish girl can hide the fact that she's Catholic, or she can join the Episcopal Church. But a black never could hide his color, and we allowed him to join nothing. There is no possible comparison between a Jew who got ahead and a black who didn't. They were not even playing in the same ball game." There are a lot of very powerful discussions throughout this book.
I've had it for far too long and finally finished it! It mostly made me sad, especially at the end.
After I finished it, I asked the friend who raved about it what she liked as a teen when she read it. The excitement, adventure, freedom all resonated for her teenage self. I think I would have had a different attitude toward this book had I read it 35 years ago.
Hennepin County Library, paperback 722 pages
genre: Realistic fiction (at this point, it's like historical fiction, but that's not how it was written)
A dear friend talked about how significant this book was in her reading as a teenager. I haven't read any books by Michener, so I got this one. In doing a little pre-reading, I learned that Michener's Tales of the South Pacific (a book of short stories) inspired the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical!
This book was fascinating to me on some levels and kind of repugnant on others. The first six chapters each have two pages of quotations and excerpts from different sources. These alone are interesting and sparked my curiosity! The chapters introduce the main (young) characters - Joe, a draft dodger; Britta, a Norwegian girl who wants to be in the sun; Monica, an English girl who is living in Africa and is filled with disdain for her father; Cato, an African-American who is disillusioned with his father's Christianity and his own prospects for the future; Yigal, an Israeli-American who feels pulled between his two countries; and Gretchen, a talented singer and guitar player who encounters police brutality in Chicago.
Written in 1971, this almost reads to me like a historical novel. Some of the events and characters' attitudes are definitely dated to the late 60s / early 70s. The Wikipedia page actually has very good summary info - on the chapters, the characters, and the places (real / fictional). I tagged a lot of pages, so I'll just comment on those.
Page 51 - Mr. Mogstad (her boss) forcing himself on Britta. She was . . . "quite unprepared for this assault and in a kind of dumb panic allowed him to have his way, not certain what other course might be available to her. It was a messy business, clumsy, frightening and totally disgusting, with Mr. Mogstad's dirty mustaches and fetid breath adding to the ugliness." This made me so sad and mad. Too many girls and young women have real experiences like this!
Page 69 - Britta: "Oh God, I am so afraid. I am so alone." As she expresses this, it made me think of people who do cry out to the Lord and are delivered. That doesn't happen in this story, but I like that the crying out was at least there.
Page 111 - People discussing Monica's poor behavior and the generation gap in general: "I suppose the best thing a parent can do these days when society refuses to give us any help and when even the schools and churches are powerless, is to start when the child is in the cradle and try in our own way to give her a sense of values . . . " I thought, "Duh! It doesn't matter much what society, schools, and churches are up to - of COURSE you have to work on developing values with your own children!"
Page 181 - When Grandpa Melnikoff and Mr. Fairbanks are talking about the quality of education in Israel vs. The United States: "in America nearly every child goes to high school. In Israel about one out of twenty-five makes it. Reali ought to be superior. It doesn't have to bother with the clods." I don't know if this info was ever accurate, but it made me think of the education comparisons I've often heard in my career. This can be maddening when the comparisons are not accurate!
Page 202 - Yigal: "his growing awareness that a surprising number of well-educated Jews in the Detroit area were turning against Israel and finding it fashionable to parade pro-Arab sentiments." I thought this section was fascinating. I've heard others expound on the injustice of Israel even existing . . . and I get the sense that they sympathize with the Arabs / Palestinians without really understanding why they do. I'm no expert on the Middle East, but I do know that the conflict is rooted in a lot of complex issues and a long history. This is no simple black and white story.
Page 235 - Mr. Fairbanks realizing something while listening to Gretchen. "The songs I heard that winter in Boston were an invitation to rebellion, and for the first time I realized that if able young people like Gretchen had been nurtured on these songs over the past ten years - the most formative of their lives - things in the adult world were bound to be changed." This is actually a pretty profound thought. What music has been "nurturing" the current youth for the last ten years? How has the youth psyche been formed?
Page 313 - Mr. Fairbanks - "But deeper than that was the unspoken feeling that at my age of sixty-one, this would be the last young group I would ever associate with; my own son was lost to me through bitter misunderstandings and I felt the need of comprehending what the youth of this age were up to. I saw in them the only hope for the future, the vitality of our society, and I approved of much they were attempting." This sentiment becomes even more ironic to me by the end of the book. I don't really understand Mr. Fairbanks' ineffectual attempts to be a part of the young peoples' lives. And knowing that he "lost" his own son . . . this just makes me sad.
Page 365 - When Cato rages about the space program being an exclusively white endeavor, I immediately thought of the book and movie Hidden Figures. Even though I completely understand his point and even though racism clearly impacted those who worked at NASA in the 1960s, it made me smile to think of the amazing women who made a difference!
Page 390 - Mr. Fairbanks reflecting on his youthful time in the Orient . . . "And actually puncture my arm to inject a foreign substance into my bloodstream? Impossible. I even use alcohol sparingly, because I feel no desire to enhance my capacity for sensation; I already experience things too deeply." And yet Mr. Fairbanks observed his group of young friends travel further and further into destructive drug behavior.
Page 504 - Interesting discussion between Mr. Melnikoff and Mr. Fairbanks on the differences in Irish Catholics integrating into America versus African Americans assimilating. "A white Irish girl can hide the fact that she's Catholic, or she can join the Episcopal Church. But a black never could hide his color, and we allowed him to join nothing. There is no possible comparison between a Jew who got ahead and a black who didn't. They were not even playing in the same ball game." There are a lot of very powerful discussions throughout this book.
I've had it for far too long and finally finished it! It mostly made me sad, especially at the end.
After I finished it, I asked the friend who raved about it what she liked as a teen when she read it. The excitement, adventure, freedom all resonated for her teenage self. I think I would have had a different attitude toward this book had I read it 35 years ago.
Thursday, January 03, 2019
A Is for Alibi
by Sue Grafton
Scott County Library audiobook 7 CDs
read by Mary Peiffer
genre: murder mystery
I hadn't read any of Grafton's books in a long time and was ready to start a new series. I didn't remember clearly how this story would turn out until about the halfway point.
Like: the clues, the characters, the action
Dislike: the swearing, this narrator's voice, the detachment of Kinsey Millhone to most of humanity, the datedness of it (no cell phones . . . which would have made this a different story).
Not sure if I'll get the B book next . . . or look for something entirely different. The first time I read these, I'm pretty sure I only made it to D or E. I like the cleverness of the titles best of all!
Scott County Library audiobook 7 CDs
read by Mary Peiffer
genre: murder mystery
I hadn't read any of Grafton's books in a long time and was ready to start a new series. I didn't remember clearly how this story would turn out until about the halfway point.
Like: the clues, the characters, the action
Dislike: the swearing, this narrator's voice, the detachment of Kinsey Millhone to most of humanity, the datedness of it (no cell phones . . . which would have made this a different story).
Not sure if I'll get the B book next . . . or look for something entirely different. The first time I read these, I'm pretty sure I only made it to D or E. I like the cleverness of the titles best of all!
The Heart Healthy Cookbook for Two
by Jennifer Koslo
Scott County Library
(Subtitled: 125 Perfectly Portioned Low Sodium, Low Fat Recipes)
I won't say much about this, but want to be able to "find" it again so include it on my reading blog.
I got this because I want to curb my high blood pressure without medicine. It is definitely different to cook for just two people (who are aging and eat less) than it was to plan and cook meals for a family of five (three of whom were teen boys!). Even though it's been just the two of us for a while, we're still changing our household habits.
I loved the intro material and her writing style. I looked through some of the recipes, but haven't tried any yet (and have already renewed the book twice). I looked for stir fry with rice. This is something I love to eat and it can be healthy if you don't add too much salt. That recipe was fine, but I didn't have all the ingredients. Then I saw that many of the recipes in this book have added salt! Only a little bit of salt, but still! I know that one of the huge health benefits of preparing your own food is limiting the salt. Avoid processed foods, add other seasonings instead of salt, etc. Time for this to go back to the library.
Scott County Library
(Subtitled: 125 Perfectly Portioned Low Sodium, Low Fat Recipes)
I won't say much about this, but want to be able to "find" it again so include it on my reading blog.
I got this because I want to curb my high blood pressure without medicine. It is definitely different to cook for just two people (who are aging and eat less) than it was to plan and cook meals for a family of five (three of whom were teen boys!). Even though it's been just the two of us for a while, we're still changing our household habits.
I loved the intro material and her writing style. I looked through some of the recipes, but haven't tried any yet (and have already renewed the book twice). I looked for stir fry with rice. This is something I love to eat and it can be healthy if you don't add too much salt. That recipe was fine, but I didn't have all the ingredients. Then I saw that many of the recipes in this book have added salt! Only a little bit of salt, but still! I know that one of the huge health benefits of preparing your own food is limiting the salt. Avoid processed foods, add other seasonings instead of salt, etc. Time for this to go back to the library.
Friday, December 21, 2018
Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff
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.
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.
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.
<Above posted 10.20.2018. Below added 11.11.2025.>
Interesting. I listened to the audiobook on Libby this time - all the way through. I knew I'd read it before, but my memory was fuzzy. The audiobook was approximately sixteen hours long. Appelman was a fantastic narrator! My main issues with the book are the lack of chronological order and the ugliness of war.
Even hearing the dates at the start of chapters didn't help when hopping around in the 1940s . . . the sequence of events was confusing at times. As I re-read my review above, it seems that I had an issue with this the first time, too.
Doerr's language is definitely poetic - very beautiful and evocative. But he uses this language as he talks about the horrors of what the other "boys" did to Frederick and the calm deadly wrath of Volkheimer as he kills the radio nests that Werner locates. War is ugly. It's so odd that this author uses beautiful language to describe this world.
I loved Etienne and his care for his great-niece Marie-Laure. I was sad about the way Werner's story ended. I would love to discuss this book with others who love to talk about books.
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.
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