Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage: Unlocking the Secrets to Life, Love, and Marriage

by Mark Gungor
Hennepin County Library paperback 275 pages
genre: Non-fiction, Christian, marriage
published: 2008

My pastor has mentioned this book and author many times. I have enjoyed this video from one of his sessions before: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XjUFYxSxDk

The book is worth reading, but it wasn't that helpful / interesting / informative to me. Perhaps because I've been married for over thirty years and we get along really well . . . this just didn't inspire me. That said, I tagged some spots. (The only note I jotted was "okay . . . good parts . . . sex / God-given gift . . . Not that funny . . . ")

The section on "Differences Foster Conflict" was one of the best sections in my opinion.


Chapter 11 is titled "What's Sex Got to Do with It?" He writes, "I must mention that there are two groups of people who take issue with my approach to this subject. The first are those representing academia. . . . It's not that I'm trying to be tawdry or crude (though I have frequently been accused of being so), it's that I think God created sex to be fun . . . The other group I seem to offend is the radically prudish religious crowd." He quotes from Ezekiel 23: 19-21 to point out how the Bible talks about this issue. It made me think of the time I read from the Song of Solomon to my mom (for the shock value for her - the Catholic Church had never shared that part of Scripture with her!) Later in the chapter he writes, "Let me say that I do understand that many are reticent to even bring up the subject of sex . . . because of the way sexuality has been abused in our culture." He has a lot of wisdom in this chapter.

In Chapter 16, this line caught my attention: "Virtually anyone can experience a wonderful sex life regardless of their past. But let's stop pretending that sex before marriage is no big deal and start telling people the truth - for two reasons: One, so that our kids can avoid the problem in the first place; and two, so those who have been negatively affected can learn how they can still succeed by changing the way they think about sex."

I don't think I'd spend time and money going to one of his workshops, but I am confident that his material resonates with a lot of other people! He has a positive, Biblical perspective on marriage.

Ready Player One

by Ernest Cline
Scott County Library paperback 372 pages
genre: SciFi, dystopian future
published 2011

I had enjoyed the movie so much that I finally got the book to read! Typically, I'm adamant about reading the book first before watching the movie . . . and in this case, my original affinity for the movie made me really notice the differences in the book! My daughter-in-law Angela loved the book for that exact reason - she read it before seeing the movie and prefers it.

In essence, the story isn't different, but the movie specifics are extremely different! From the first key to the last, (and even some basic character issues such as when Art3mis and Parzival meet face to face), the book and movie are radically different.

Okay, enough with that! You get the point. I'm not entirely sure why this story resonates so strongly with me. I don't really enjoy video games. I definitely love the 80s pop culture references. I always love the David and Goliath aspect of the underdogs winning. This was a debut novel for Cline and it makes me curious to read his next book, Armada.

I only marked two places. One was disappointing to me. Early in the book when we're becoming acquainted with Wade Watts, the protagonist, he says, "The whole God thing is actually an ancient fairy tale that people have been telling one another for thousands of years. We made it all up. Like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny." It's telling, though, that the one human being that Wade actually respects, cares about, and responds to is Mrs. Gilmore. "She was a sweet old lady in her mid-seventies, and she always seemed to get up ridiculously early. . . . Mrs. G. was super-religious and spent most of her time in the OASIS, sitting in the congregation of one of those big online megachurches, singing hymns, listening to sermons, and taking virtual tours of the Holy Land. . . . She was always praying for me too. Trying her hardest to save my soul. I never had the heart to tell her that I thought organized religion was a total crock. It was a pleasant fantasy that gave her hope and kept her going . . . "

The other spot made me smile and wonder if Wil Wheaton has read the book and how he responded. On page 201, it says, "It was also time to elect the president and VP of the OASIS User Council, but that was a no-brainer. Like most gunters, I voted to reelect Cory Doctorow and Wil Wheaton (again). There were no term limits, and those two geezers had been doing a kick-ass job of protecting user rights for over a decade." (The preceding paragraphs on the pointlessness of the U.S. government elections are pretty depressing.) "The once-great country into which I'd been born now resembled its former self in name only. It didn't matter who was in charge. Those people were rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic and everyone knew it."

This was a fascinating book and worth a re-read at some point. I'd love to talk with Angela about it sometime.

 

<I wrote the above 6.19.2021. Less than a year later, I recently re-read it and re-watched the movie . . . more on that below!>

 

I marked a few spots that are different from the ones above. When Ogden Morrow is being interviewed about Halliday's contest (page 118), he goes off on IOI.

". . . The last thing Jim would have wanted is for his creation to fall into the hands of a fascist multinational conglomerate like IOI."

"Mr. Morrow, IOI owns this network . . . "

"Of course they do!" Morrow shouted gleefully. "They own practically everything! Including you, pretty boy! I mean, did they tattoo a UPC code on your ass when they hired you to sit there and spout their corporate propaganda?"

The reporter began to stutter, glancing nervously at something off camera.

"Quick!" Morrow said. "You better cut me off before I say anything else!" He broke up into gales of laughter just as the network cut his satellite feed.

This is so close to truth that it's almost scary . . . Big companies have tremendous amounts of power. 

I also marked the spot where Wade decides to force himself to exercise so he doesn't get too heavy (picture the humans in "Wall-E"). "So I made a snap decision and enabled the voluntary OASIS fitness lockout software on my rig. I'd regretted it almost immediately." Here's the page . . . again, this seems so true to life. Some of the technologies in this book are futuristic and some are real now. I ***almost*** wish I had the ability to have technology force me to get some exercise . . .

 

Watching the movie again made me decide that I like some things about the book better and some things about the movie better. I could see me doing a VENN diagram of the differences and similarities . . . but I won't!

I now have Cline's Ready Player Two from the library. I've heard awful reviews, but still plan to read it!

<Below added 10.25.25>

I listened to the audiobook. Wil Wheaton was the narrator . . . so he's definitely "in" on the joke. It makes me think about his appearances on The Big Bang Theory. His adult career seems closely linked to his childhood role on ST: TNG. After writing that, I had to check. He was fifteen years old when he came on the show as Wesley Crusher and 21 when he left. In any case . . . 

I enjoyed the story, though the skepticism about God's existence still bothered me. I'm ready to return this audiobook and move on!

Garden Spells

by Sarah Addison Allen
Scott County Library audiobook 7 CDs
read by Susan Ericksen
genre: paranormal romance / realistic fiction with magic (?)

I borrowed this book in print and audio for my sister for her book club. (Scott County Libraries were ahead of Hennepin County with curbside pickup during this Covid-19 pandemic.) I started to read the print book out of curiosity but had to return it for someone else before I could finish it so I "read" the audiobook.

What I liked: the relationships of the sisters and Evanelle, the descriptions of the food Claire prepared and the properties of different plants, and the storytelling that kept me wondering how things would work out.

What I disliked: Claire's reluctance to trust, the whole magic piece

Odd notes (for my pleasure - sorry blog readers):

• Claire Waverly - main character
• Evanelle - gives things to people before they need them; can't help it
• Sydney - took off at age 18
• Lorelei - Claire's and Sydney's mom - also took off as a teen; was not a good mother
• David's abuse of Sydney - horrible!  Glad he didn't hurt Bay.
• flowers, smells, magic . . . 
• Emma Clark / Clark women and sex - really?
• I love Hunter John! What a wonderful man (and not how I expected him to react at all) . . . but Emma and her mom - yuk!
• Loved the part where Evanelle gave Sydney 50 cents . . . and how she chose to use it. That scene completely redeemed her for me . . . 
• David - what an awful man. And the way this ended. Wow.
• Bay - seeing colors, knowing where things belong . . . 
• The apple tree - one of the best characters!

This is a very well-written book. The narrator did a fine job with the voice work. Even though there are a lot of characters, the way they're introduced into the story works well and I didn't get confused about who was who.

The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington

by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch
Scott County Library audiobook 9 CDs
read by Scott Brick
genre: non-fiction, history

This was an interesting change of pace. I disliked studying history as a teenager, and so have many gaps in my knowledge. (And we can *all* grow in our understanding of the past!) The authors told their story primarily in chronological order and it is fact-based BUT with unnecessary (in my opinion) dramatizations. For example, the subtitle . . . and we learn that there were allusions to a murder plot, but not clear evidence of it. The plotters may have just been planning to kidnap or disrupt (definitely disrupt) Washington's efforts.

Governor William Tryon reminded me of President Trump.
I would love to learn more about Henry Knox and what he did during the Revolution. (Bringing cannons from Ticonderoga to Boston . . . brilliant! Plus, he was a book store owner. I love him already.)
It was interesting to hear the Loyalists / Patriots language . . . it made me think of current identities in American society . . . and what it mean to be patriotic.
I would also love to read more about George Washington himself. The importance of integrity and honor - what great qualities!
Gilbert Forbes, the gun smith; Thomas Hickey, the hanged Irishman; and others were involved in the plot against Washington. Interesting that Hickey was the example . . . because he was Irish and they were less valued than others? It would be nice if we had even more first person accounts of the events.

Thomas Paine's Common Sense was so influential! It may be time for me to focus on reading and thinking about this document . . . Published in January of 1776, it was instrumental in marshaling people's opinions in favor of the colonies' separation from Great Britain.

Also an interesting parallel to modern events: the crowds tore down the George III statue! Mob behavior, symbolism, history repeating itself, . . . .lots to talk about here!

By the last part of the book, the sensationalism started to bother me. Was it in the writing or in the reader's inflection? Was it an attempt to make history more exciting? The authors' interview at the end gave a little insight. Josh did most of the research and drafting. Brad was more the dramatist . . . and now I need to see which other Brad Melzer books I've read because I definitely recognize the name!

Catch and Kill

by Ronan Farrow
Scott County Library hardcover 419 pages
genre: investigative reporting

Wow. How interesting that I'm finishing this book just as Matt Lauer spoke out in a "scathing op-ed" to say that Farrow did not do an accurate job of reporting (May 21, 2020). I had started this book earlier in the winter but did not read quickly enough and had to return it to the library. To me, it seems Farrow did an incredibly thorough job vetting his sources. His documentation covers several pages at the end of the book. The patterns of sexual predation by Harvey Weinstein and the money / power to hush up wrongdoing are so saddening.

Page 167 - "Canosa wasn't sure what to do. She had signed a nondisclosure agreement as a condition of her employment with Weinstein. She was still trying to make it as a producer, and was terrified of retaliation. Weinstein could render her unemployable. And then there were the hesitations of any survivor of sexual violence. She'd allowed her wounds to calcify and learned to carry on. She hadn't told her father, or her boyfriend. 'I don't want to suffer more. You know?' she told me. Once, as she'd worked up the nerve to raise the matter with a therapist, 'I saw her at a premier for a Weinstein movie,' Canosa told me. 'I found out she was a producer on one of Harvey's movies.'"

I cannot begin to imagine the shame, pain, anger, and fear that this woman and so many others experienced. For all the amazing movies he has had a hand in making, he absolutely destroyed human beings for his own personal power trip. Over and over again, the reports of his behavior disgusted and horrified me. What an awful man.

Page 240 - "Sorvino decided she'd help and, over the course of several calls, went fully on the record. But the fear in her voice never left. 'When people go up against power brokers there is punishment,' she said. I realized her anxieties went beyond career considerations. She asked if I had security, if I'd thought about the risk of disappearing, of an 'accident' befalling me. I said I was fine, that I was taking precautions, then wondered what precautions I was actually taking, other than glancing over my shoulder a lot."

The whole surveillance / spying angle also blew me away. If you're doing so many awful things that you need to pay out money for lawyers, detectives, fake operatives to mine information from victims, payments to victims to keep them quiet, etc. . . . perhaps you should think about changing your own behavior! Trump almost looks like a nice man in comparison to Weinstein! The fact that our president has also paid out money to keep women quiet for his sexual liaisons just makes me sad.

Page 241 - "Weinstein told her that she was making a huge mistake by rejecting him, and named an actress and a model who he claimed had given in to his sexual overtures and whose careers he said he had advanced as a result. Arquette said she responded, 'I'll never be that girl,' and left. Arquette's story was important because of how closely it hewed to others I'd heard: professional pretext, meeting moved upstairs, hotel room, request for massage, bathrobe."

Gross. What a disgusting, awful man. I'm so sorry this story didn't break fifteen years earlier with the reporting that Ken Auletta had done on Weinstein. I'm sorry that some media power brokers are okay with the idea of "catch and kill" - paying top dollar for a story to make sure they have exclusive rights and then never publishing it. I'm sorry that evil is so prevalent in our world.

Page 254 - "Other industry veterans I spoke with sounded a different note. Weinstein's predation was an open secret, they said, and if they hadn't seen it, they'd heard about at least some of it. Susan Sarandon, the kind of ethical futurist who had stubbornly refused to work with accused predators for years, gamely brainstormed leads. She let out a cackle when I told her what I was up to. 'Oh, Ronan,' she said, going into a teasing, singsong delivery. Not mocking, just delighting at the impending drama about to befall me. 'You're gonna be in trouble.'"

The fact that so many people knew Weinstein was preying on these young women and yet stayed silent . . . makes me think of Edmund Burke. “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” 

Page 414 - "'You know, the press is as much part of our democracy as Congress or the executive branch or the judicial branch. It has to keep things in check. And when the powerful control the press, or make the press useless, if the people can't trust the press, the people lose. And the powerful can do what they want." 

Igor Ostrovskiy was one of the people  who was hired to tail Ronan Farrow as he was investigating this story. As he realized what was going on, he decided to meet privately with Farrow to share information. He ended up starting his own private investigation business after Black Cube stopped sending him work. As an immigrant with a new baby (born in America), his perspective was seasoned by his earlier life in Ukraine. "Coming from a society where the news was controlled by those in power, I never, ever want to allow this to happen to the country that gave me and my wife and my son a chance." Powerful words.

This book is a powerful and worthwhile read.

Mrs. McGinty's Dead

by Agatha Christie
Scott County Library audiobook 2 CDs
"Full Cast Dramatization"
genre: murder mystery, M. Poirot, detective

This was a quick little story that had Poirot trying to save the dead woman's lodger from hanging for a crime he didn't commit. In trying to find out who *had* killed Mrs. McGinty, Poirot uses his interviewing skills, powers of observations, and his "little gray cells" to find the real killer.

The vocal cast was decent, but I actually disliked John Moffatt as the "great Belgian detective" . . . which is ironic, since his name is featured.

I prefer unabridged versions of stories. And I prefer reading them in a book. But audiobooks help pass the time as I drive!

Murder on the Orient Express

by Agatha Christie
Scott County Library audiobook 6 CDs
read by Dan Stevens
genre: Detective Mystery (Hercule Poirot)

Although I've read this book before (and seen the 1974 film), I like having an audiobook in my car and this one fit my mood. I love Agatha Christie, though I prefer Miss Marple to Hercule Poirot.

I had forgotten the details about the murdered man - Samuel Ratchett - but I remembered the conclusion. Still, it was fun to listen as the story unwound and the clues cropped up.

I've requested the "old" movie from the library. After I've watched it, I'll get the "new" one. I've not seen it yet and the cast looks pretty incredible.

Stevens vocal work was quite good.

Oh! I wanted to make note of this: The Daisy Armstrong kidnapping and murder, though fictional, made me think of the Lindbergh baby. I had to check. Charles Lindbergh, Jr. was kidnapped and murdered in 1932. Agatha Christie wrote this book in 1933 (published in January 1934 . . . ). It seems too coincidental, but I'm not going to research if she is on record as crediting that awful real-life tragedy for the storyline in this book. 

 

<Above published on 5.19.20. Below added 3.27.24.> 

I listened to a 2010 BBC full cast version. It was okay. The Poirot guy didn't sound like him to my ears! It was only two hours long and was the dramatized version, complete with train whistles, etc. A much abbreviated version, but kept the key points. I prefer an unabridged version, though.

<Below added 4.21.25.>

I listened again, this time to the unabridged story as read by Kenneth Branagh. (So a third audio version!) I enjoyed it and made a "cheat sheet" of the people on the train, their job / alias, and their connection to the Armstrong family. But I don't feel like including it here. It was also interesting to note their different nationalities. I liked Poirot's comment that you would see such an assemblage of different people in America. (But perhaps not in the future. I fear our current POTUS will do more to keep people away from our country than anything or anyone in our history.)

I've enjoyed listening to this story and seeing how Hercule puts "two" possible solutions before everyone. I also loved the doctor's amazement at how he figured things out.

Smoke Screen

by Terri Blackstock
Scott County Library paperback 333 pages
genre: contemporary Christian action romance

Nate Beckett is a firefighter who left town as an 18-year-old whose dad had just been arrested for murder. Brenna is a single mom fighting for custody of her kids.

There is plenty of action in the book and a sweet touch of romance. There was enough mystery to keep it interesting. We'll discuss it tonight at book club.

Page 36 - "'I was naive then, Nate,' I said. 'Nothing bad had ever happened to me at that point. I had the perfect life. It was easy to be spiritual.'" This isn't especially profound, but it made me think of how God uses the tough times in life to build us (if we let him) into people of stronger faith.

Page 48 - "Don't ever say that, Nate. I chose him for my husband, and right or wrong, blessed or cursed, I've chosen to live with that decision. You don't break vows just because things don't turn out like you want." I wish more people felt that way about their vows! Not just marriage vows, but let your yes be yes and your no mean no!

Page 73 - "Boxing my arms on the sales counter, I dropped my head on them and prayed with all my heart to the God I still believed in, the one I'd strayed from but not forgotten, to protect my children while they were away from me." Crying out to God is the *best* thing to do when you feel lost. He is faithful!

Page 151 - I'm not going to type it all here, but Brenna talks about Nate's mom's deep faith. She ends with "I wish I had that kind of faith." I love that Nate's mom was so consistently relying on the Lord. Brenna wasn't the only one who noticed.

Every time Brenna chose alcohol over better ways to handle her emotions, I was disappointed. It seems to be a very realistic portrayal of how people can become addicted, but it just wasn't fun to read. "No!" I'd think, "Don't do it!"

Page 274 - "I would breathe all the way home, I thought, and I would breathe through the night. And Tuesday I would breathe throughout court." I liked this idea of simply focusing on breathing and making it through one thing at a time.

Page 280 - I liked when Nate's dad shared that he had said Jeremiah 29:11 every single day of the fourteen years he was in prison. If you dwell in God's word, you will be fed!

Page 285 - "In my own heart, I pled for forgiveness for my attitude toward him." That's a prayer I've had to pray! Sometimes when I'm really upset with someone, I realize that the problem is in my own heart and attitude. It makes me think of the song, "It's not my sister, not my brother, but it's me Oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer . . . "

Page 331 - It was so sweet when Nate finally got his dad's approval. It's interesting how sometimes we can be like small children, wanting to get that approval. It can be heartbreaking when it doesn't come.

Page 336 (Her acknowledgements) - "And finally, I'm overflowing with thanks for my husband, Ken Blackstock, who has been my rock in helping me raise our grandson and has given me so much acceptance, grace, and support that it moves me to tears. He models God's love to me every day and is a great example to me. He's the answer to prayers I prayed many years ago." That's a wonderful way to feel about your spouse!

Rebecca

Scott County Library audiobook
read by
genre

Warning: This is very stream-of-consciousness style . . . with the added disruptions of chunks of time. Due to Covid-19, I'm in my car less often. After I drive and listen, I make notes and blog. Choppy, but it's an experiment. We'll see how it turns out . . .



It's so odd! I've heard references to this book for much of my life and now that I'm finally reading it, it's not at all like I thought it would be.

The narrator is a young woman, but not Rebecca. Rebecca is dead. She was Max deWinter's first wife. Manderly, the family estate, is like a character. Mrs. Danvers, the housekeeper, is sinister.

Mrs. Van Hopper is painfully rude and insensitive.In a way, she was comic relief. But she's out of the story after the first handful of chapters.

I have a scrap of paper that says, "The education of an indifferent pupil taught at a second rate school." I'm not sure if Mrs. Van Hopper said that about our narrator or if the narrator referenced herself that way in comparing her hand writing to Rebecca's.

Our narrator is young and clumsy. She spends a lot of time daydreaming and imagining different scenarios. She needs to get out of her head and live her life! Her insecurity makes it too easy for Mrs. Danvers to intimidate her.

Symbolism abounds! The bitter tangerine. Rebecca's handwriting, especially the oversize R that dwarfs the other letters. When the narrator cuts out the page from the poetry book (Max, from Rebecca), then tears it up into little pieces, then burns it . . . but it is still imprinted on her memory. Wow!

Words to describe parts of this book: ominous, foreboding, mysterious, danger . . .

Rebecca's presence - the oversize R, the morning room, people's attitude toward her . . . palpable. What really happened?

The second time our narrator encounters the dim-witted Ben at the cottage . . . she is so clueless! Of course he's referring to Rebecca! Who else? The mystery grows more deep.

Our narrator is too much in her own head! She overthinks things and imagines what others are thinking. I almost laughed when she imagined what Max was thinking and then when she asked him point blank, he replied he was thinking about sports teams. It made me think of a story I read once about a woman tormenting herself about her husband's silence . . . and he's actually just thinking about his motorcycle.Meanwhile, our narrator is certain he's thinking of the china Cupid that was given as a wedding gift to him and Rebecca.

The more I hear about Rebecca and the kind of person she really was, the more I dislike her. Mrs. Danvers is absolute poison! I cannot believe that our narrator actually listens to her!

The blackface / monkey comment (in preparation for the masked ball) really startled me. Rebecca was written in 1938, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. But it was jarring to hear it.

Commentary on men's minds and women's thoughts . . . again, from a different era. Yet aren't we having some of those same issues and conversations now? I believe men and women do think differently.

She actually took Mrs. Danver's advice about the white dress. . . how could she possibly not suspect her of having cruel motives? Even before the dress ball, I was shouting at her. "Don't trust Mrs. Danvers!" This book is crazy-making.

"Nothing to do with me." "Not my affair." She's getting tedious! Get over yourself and your insecurities! Stand up for yourself! BE stronger! Just do it!

Maxim's confession. Oh! I'm glad he finally shared his truth. Rebecca "made" Manderly. A lot happened in 24 hours. She (our narrator) can be so useless! She's so bad about conversations. What a dud! Then she has a real conversation with Frith . . . Comfort your husband! Punch Favel. Kick him out! He is so rude and so awful. They just take it!

Comparisons of characters to dogs and being petted on the head. Weird.

Newspapers / sensationalism / skewed perspective / Bea and Giles.

Suspense . . . I want to know what happens!

Dr. Baker visit. I was expecting pregnancy! (Max's baby or Favel's?) But it was an inoperable tumor. Rebecca had a malformed uterus and no chance of pregnancy. That was unexpected! I was sure she'd either had an abortion or Max had killed his heir along with his wife. Favel asking if cancer is contagious. What an idiot!

"The End." What?!?!?! Manderly is on fire. Did the other servants get out? Does Mrs. Danvers get caught? What the heck kind of an ending is this for a book?!

At least now I'll have a better understanding when I hear allusions to Rebecca. I'm not a fan.

They Both Die at the End

by Adam Silvera
Scott County Library hardcover 368 pages
genre: YA dystopian

I saw a student at NPMS reading this and made note of it. I don't read as much YA (Young Adolescent) lit as I used to . . . but this one was distressing. The premise is that an entity (DeathCast) knows what day people will die and they receive a call informing them of their death day. There's an entire industry that caters to the "Deckers" who have less than 24 hours to live.

Though this premise is never really explained, the focus on one's last day and how to spend it was really sad to me. Obviously, they conclude that relationships are more important than the things we spend most of our lives doing and thinking about. But I still thought the characters' journey made this a depressing and empty book.

The jacket blurb calls it "Uplifting and devastating, charming and haunting," but I think it's bleak and awful. I don't think I could recommend it to any teen readers I know and care about. I may need to go back and read my review of Daniel Ehrenhaft's 10 Things to Do Before I Die . . . because it had a similar premise (without the omnipotent entity that actually told you your death day) and I have a more positive memory of that book.

One More River to Cross

by Jane Kirkpatrick
Scott County Library paperback 330 pages, plus author's notes
genre: Christian historical fiction

Kirkpatrick does an amazing job of researching an historical event and writing a fascinating story around its players. In this one, a group of California-bound pioneers try crossing the Sierra Nevada and encounter difficulties galore. This group made the attempt the year before the doomed Donner Party. (In fact, some of the Donners used a cabin built by the Stephens-Murphy-Townsend company.)

I hadn't read the book before book club, so didn't have much to add to the conversation. Below are the plethora of pages I tagged with some thoughts and observations. Overall, this was a very engaging read. There are a LOT of different characters. Right when I started it and saw the listing of names, relationships, etc. I realized it would be a challenge to keep everyone straight. She did an excellent job of differentiating, but I generally prefer stories where I identify strongly with characters and don't have to work as hard to remember who's who! The text below may contain *SPOILERS* and / or be boring to those who've not read the book. :-)


Flyleaf - She has this quote from Mary Anne Radmacher: "Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is that little voice that at the end of the day says 'I'll try again tomorrow.'"I love this!

Page 35 - "It was at the evening camp and Capt took out his journal from his saddlebages. He always reread what he'd written." This isn't especially profound, but I am a huge fan of journaling! I don't write as often as I used to, but it is wonderful to read the thoughts and feelings one experienced in a different point in life. Some of the most amazing "stories" throughout history have been recorded by someone and now we can appreciate them. This made me wonder if we would get to read some of Capt's journal later in the story.

Page 49 - "'I'm the mother of five. Fun isn't necessarily in my basket of essentials.'" - This reply by Ailbe to the comment that "She needs a little fun" made me laugh! Mothers can be so very down-to-earth.

Page 63 - "We should have joined them. She shook her head. What's done is done. Sometimes she thought of her life as a thin, scratchy book held between the bookends of fear and regret and fear. She needed to rewrite that book, make it sturdier. And find new bookends for sure." Mary Sullivan is a strong and determined young woman. The language in this description of her life (or her perception of her life) doesn't match with how I imagined her, but I liked it just the same.

Page 79 - "She hated it that he only seemed to pay attention to what she was feeling when she lost control and cried. Crying made her weak in his eyes so he could 'lift her up' rather than speak to her as another adult to come to some grown-up resolution." Sarah did get on my nerves at times, but her newlywed husband Allen was a total jerk.

Page 89 - "'Something haunts your brother,' Beth said. 'He carries anger, swallows it, licks his lips without knowing he is eating himself. He is in need of laughter. He doesn't know what wealth lies within it. Be patient with him.'" Beth is one of the most lovely and loving characters. The relationship between Ellen and her brother Daniel is one that develops throughout the story. I appreciate it!

Page 92 -"She nodded, acceptance settling like a threadbare cloak over her shoulders: it offered comfort but without the warmth. The real treasure was this moment when she felt loved and cared for more than she had since the day they'd married. She guessed it would be her anniversary gift." I really liked that first sentence. Again, Allen is not a very impressive husband. Poor Sarah!

Page 98 - I love when Mary grabs the ox and just goes! Capt wants her brother John to lead, but she's ready to GO. I can relate. I see a lot of myself in Mary.

Page 116 - When the women are sharing their stories, Mary has a new perspective. "Maybe carrying on despite grief was a hidden gift." Sometimes our perception of "gifts" misses some things out of the ordinary.

Page 139 - "It was the least she could do to honor the being that gave them nourishment." This made me think of Mari's mom Rita and her prayers over meals.

Page 140 - "Don't tell me what I've done or not correctly." This made me laugh! Husbands should handle pregnant wives with kid gloves! I was as contrary as can be when I was pregnant.

Page 165 - "He'd gotten crankier on this journey, while Mr. Hitchcock - in his late sixties - had gotten more jovial. Maybe it didn't matter how many years you had but how well you carried them." Such truth in this! When my dad was so negative and complained about everything, I made myself think about the choices I was making in terms of my attitude and communication. I want to carry my years well . . .

Page 172 - "If not, I trust God is with us whatever choice we make. . . . . Truth is, I'd rather be happy than right." I love Ailbe! She has a good attitude and recognizes that God is in control.

Page 181 - When Ellen talks to Daniel about how the fire in the mercantile got started, I was a bit taken aback . . . She saw cowardice in herself; I see complicity.

Page 192-3 - I love how Daniel and Ellen come to understand one another better and develop a much stronger and healthier brother / sister relationship. This was one of my favorite aspects of the story. The "Horseback Party" was a smaller group and had a more engaging storyline.

Page 205 - When Capt sweet talks Dr. Townsend into pushing on . . . pure genius. It does highlight Townsend's ego,t hough.

Page 218 - "Land is free in Oregon. We just take it from the Indians." Ugh. It's a fictionalized version of a real person saying this (Allen talking to his wife Sarah.) . . . but knowing that it represents some people's true opinions AND actions historically . . . just makes me mad / sad.

Page 220 - "We're having to remake ourselves." Sarah says this to Mary as they talk about taking apart a wool sweater to re-knit it and how it's like they are remaking themselves due to the hardships they're experiencing. It's wonderful that we can transform and don't have to get into a rut.

Page 241 - "It must be made American, taken for Americans, held by Americans." Sutter is trying to convince the men to ride to war instead of going back to rescue the rest of their party. Historically, there were battles to "hold" the West . . . but this reminded me of current-day "America First" rhetoric. I prefer to look at humanity more globally.

Page 260 - "Guess when you find success in something, all the pain getting there gets washed away." This is often true. Hardship mellows (if not goes away completely) when you've achieved your goal.

Page 290 - "Com once meant 'the exchange of burdens.' And union means 'together.' I guess when we are joined together in a gathering, we share our troubles. Or should." I love that definition for communion! And Sarah and Mary also talk about it in terms of marriage. The exchange of burdens together.

Page 296 - "Why was it that the food of goodness was often seasoned with guilt?" It's an interesting metaphor. I like words that make me think.

Page 332 - In the author's notes, she included this line that surprised me. "The decision by the men to become conscripted before sending rescue continues to baffle historians and others, including me. I'm hopeful that my explanation rings true." It was one of those odd moments while reading the book - why on earth would the men be persuaded to ride to war instead of rescuing their wives and children??? But as an author, she was being true to the history! That's what they did.

Page 337 - Also author notes - "A room in the Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum in Sunnyvale, California, is devoted to the Murphy family." Cool! I need to visit museums more. I love this stuff!

Page 339 - "Their feats are overshadowed by the Donner Party disaster. It's my hope that this story might celebrate the honor of self-sacrifice, the wisdom of working together, and the power of persevering through community and faith." This is one of the big reasons I appreciate Jean Kirkpatrick. I've heard of the Donner party and their cannibalism. I'd never before heard of this group that made the same trip successfully the year before them.

The Toll

by Neal Shusterman
Hennepin County Library hardcover 625 pages
genre: YA dystopian
(Book 3 of the Scythe series)

I should have blogged this promptly after reading it . . . but life is strange right now.

Shusterman crafts incredible stories and this is no exception. I had to wait a while to get it and really wanted to know what happened after Endura sank. I found out!

One interesting aspect of this story was the inclusion of a gender fluid character. On page 28 the character explains:
"I feel like a woman beneath the sun and the stars. I feel like a man under the cover of clouds," Jericho had explained to the crew when assuming command. "A simple glance at the skies will let you know how to address me at any given time."
On page 286, Anastasia is talking with Jeri about her identity.
"I've often wondered what it would have been like to have been born in the Madagascan region . . . Not that I'm really interested in being a man - but I wonder what it would have been like to explore both sides when I was too young to know the difference."
There was quite a bit more exposition about this topic and it came up several more times in the book.

I wonder why this was so important to Shusterman to include and emphasize. It almost seems . . . like a cause.

I'm not sure why I put a post-it note in this spot, but perhaps because it also seems to be a sign of our times:
Page 301 - "Anastasia supposed it was because there was very little private about Tenkamenin. He lived his life like he were in a window display."
A lot of people do seem to live their lives very, very publicly nowadays.

This book also had a lot of religious overtones, mostly to do with the Toll.

On page 361, "As for Astrid, she had her work cut out for her keeping them all on the proper spiritual path. She stayed with the Toll because deep down, she believed that Greyson Tolliver was the real thing. That he was divinely moved by the Tone, and that his humility about it was understandable. A humble nature was, after all, the hallmark of a true holy man. It made perfect sense that he would refuse to believe he was part of the Holy Triad, but just because he didn't believe it himself, didn't make it any less true."

And at the end of a chapter on page 417 - "Because, as it would turn out, he'd need to lead them into darkness before he could lead them into light."

There was also a lot about forgiveness, awe, reverence, godlike qualities, etc.

There were definite twists and turns in the story! I was almost yelling when the harbormaster used the tracking beacon and contacted Goddard.

On page 587, I was surprised to find sympathy for Sykora who had been such a detestable character to me . . . "Allow me to be useful, Loriana. Please." His humility was surprising and timely. (But I was a tiny bit suspicious, too . . . I was honestly not sure how this would end.)

Overall, I enjoyed this entire series. It's pretty violent, though, and has some complex themes. I would have loved doing this with my eighth grade book club! (Back when I HAD a student book club.)