River to Redemption

by Ann Gabhart
Hennepin County Library paperback 318 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction

Where has this author been all my life?! This book was wonderful, with a compelling story and lots of faith-challenging and faith-building content. It will be great to have book club discussion in a few weeks. (Week and a half . . . )

"Orphaned in the cholera epidemic of 1833, Adria Starr was cared for by a slave named Louis, a man who passed up the opportunity to escape his bondage and instead tended to the sick and buried the dead. A man who, twelve years later, is being sold by his owners despite his heroic actions."

I don't have much of substance in my brain for blogging right now, but want to make note of some passages I tagged with post-its:

Page 29 - "The man's words were a mishmash of Scripture strung together, but somehow the words sounded right when he spoke them. A man who loved the Lord." This is about Louis. I feel that way sometimes when I have a heart overflowing with love for the Lord, but can't seem to quote Scripture exactly. God's words have an abundance of blessing, even when we can't recite them exactly!

Page 56 - "Or when he put extra money they didn't have to spare in the offering plate if the preacher spoke of a need in the church. The Christian thing to do. A person couldn't sit on a church pew claiming the title Christian if that person didn't allow Christ to work through him." Amen! Ruth's observation about Peter living his faith encourages me.

Page 94 ' "'Sometimes it's best to depend on nobody but the Lord. You can be sure he won't never do you wrong.'" Louis is wise! Such truth.

Page 119 - "A prayer rose in his heart that he would find his way through this dry-bone valley with doubts rising like tares all around him. Not doubts of God's existence. He could have no doubts there, but what of his own calling to preach?" I realize that faith and doubt are different for different people, but I also don't doubt God. I doubt myself and my role in His kingdom.

Page 137 - "She hadn't liked him. On sight. Not exactly a Christian attitude for someone who just came from church, but no use pretending. The Lord could see right through any kind of smoke screen straight into a person's heart." Thank you, Lord, for loving me even in my sinfulness!

Page 140 - "'We're all on the way to the cemetery, Miss Starr. Some of us are taking a longer road there than others, but long or short, a person might as well enjoy the trip.'" This is probably my favorite line from Logan Farrell. He was just too clearly a scoundrel . . .

Page 144 - "One plus the Lord can do mighty things now and again." This is such a good reminder and Adria's answer to prayer.

Page 155 - This bugged me! Philippians 4:6-7 is one of my absolute favorite verses, but instead of the more common "Be anxious about nothing . . . " the author used "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God." I don't know why that bothered me so much. Perhaps the words "be careful for nothing" seem like "be careless" to me . . .

Page 209 - "Who am I to say the Lord don't have the best plan?" Will pondering Louis' words of faithfulness struck him, and me. When things don't go the way I hoped / planned, why do I experience such disappointment? Why don't I trust in God that His will is best?

Page 253 - "There was no need to think about what might have been. Better to consider what was and decide on her tomorrow with a clear eye." I love this! Too often, I get lost in the "would have, should have, could have" mode instead of deciding on tomorrow with a clear eye. This may be my favorite quotation from the book.

Page 264 - "The worshipers didn't come out on Wednesday the way they did on Sundays. But Will liked gathering with those serious about the need for prayer." This made me think about Wednesday night prayer at my church!

Page 313 - "'He has a knack for doin' that. Makin' a way outa no way.'" Once again, Louis' deep abiding faith is in play as he talks with Adria about the night's activities. I loved finding out in the author's note that she based this work of fiction on a slave named Louis who actually did save many people and bury 55 dead during the cholera epidemic in Springfield, Kentucky in the 1830s. Very cool.

Hound of the Baskervilles

by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Hennepin County Library audiobook 5 CDs
read by Michael Page
genre: mystery, detective fiction

Although I've read this before, I've most recently seen a fun stage version (with only four actors and women in the roles of Holmes and Watson!) and a film version (a newer one than the old Basil Rathbone one that I've also seen before). It was fun to experience the full text again. I like old-style detective stories. There were some little details that I didn't recall, even though I remembered the characters and plot well.

One detail that jumped out to me was the mention of the "Anderson murders in North Carolina" when Sherlock Holmes was talking with Watson about tricky cases. So of course, I had to Google it. I'm not sure why Doyle used those words in his story, but they brought up a fellow named Tom Dula. Another site helped me figure out how the murder of a woman named Laura Foster was connected to my search: Stanford. Yep, I'm a nerd.

 

<Above posted 9.14.18. Below added 5.28.22>

 

I got the audiobook to listen to while I drive (Libby). It was read by Patrick Tull and was about 7 hours long. I enjoyed listening to it, and now I have only the fourth full-length Holmes novel that Doyle wrote left to read. Fun!

The Gift

by Richard Paul Evans
Hennepin County Library hardcover 332 pages
genre: inspirational fiction

I read this after reading Evans' book Five Lessons a Millionaire Taught Me About Life and Wealth. I was curious. Doing a little reading online, I think I meant to request the book The Christmas Box. I also learned (as I had suspected) that he is a Mormon. Now I'm trying to decide if I'm curious enough to get the first book I had intended to get . . .

The Gift was engaging enough that I read it in one sitting. Nathan Hurst has had a difficult life with tragedies and rejection early on. When he encounters Addison Park and her two children in an airport, his life is changed. Collin Park is weak from chemo for his leukemia, but his special gift becomes the focus for the story.

I enjoyed the story and even cried at the sad parts (predictable though they were). My favorite character was Nathan's assistant, Miche.

A Man of His Own

by Susan Wilson
Scott County Library hardcover 356 pages
genre: historical fiction, awesome dog story

I saw someone reading this and snapped a picture of the cover. Here's the blurb off Amazon (and the cover for the paperback is a German Shepherd pup sitting below a man's legs):

Rick Stanton was a promising professional baseball player with dreams of playing in the major leagues and starting a family with his young wife, Francesca, when World War II changed everything. Rick returns from the war with his body broken and his dreams shattered. But it was not just body and spirit he sacrificed for the war. He and Francesca volunteered their beloved dog, Pax, for the Army's K-9 Corp, not knowing if they'd ever see him again.

Keller Nicholson is the soldier who fought the war with Pax by his side, and the two have the kind of profound bond that can only be forged in war. Pax is the closest Keller has to a sense of family, and he can't bear the thought of returning him to the Stantons. But Rick and Francesca refuse to give him up. Instead, an arrangement is made: Keller will work as Rick's live-in aide. And thus an unlikely family is formed, with steadfast Pax at the center. As they try to build a new life out of the ashes, Keller and Francesca struggle to ignore their growing attraction to each other, and Rick, believing that he can no longer give Francesca what she needs and wants, quietly plans a way out.

All three of them need healing. All three of them are lost. And in Susan Wilson's A Man of His Own, Pax, with his unconditional love and unwavering loyalty, may be the only one who can guide them home.

What I loved:

• Pax, of course! Dogs are awesome and I'm quite partial to GSDs . . . my favorite breed.
• Not being sure where the story was going. I don't want to put any spoilers here, so I'll just say that I wasn't sure of how it would end. That said, I'm not at all shocked at the ending. You'll just have to read it yourself! 

What I didn't love:

• The author skips over so much of the characters' storylines. It was a bit disconcerting to go from the flirting of Rick and Francesca to him shipping out for war. There were many places where a storyline of several months or years were compressed into a few sentences . . . 
• The way Rick treated Francesca after his war injury. I'm a bit surprised she put up with it, but then I'm not that sweet and patient. 

Apparently, this author has written a lot of dog stories. Not sure if I'll track down more of them or not. I have a lot of books to read right now!

The Bookshop on the Corner

by Jenny Colgan
Hennepin County Library
(1/2 on audiobook - 4 of 8 CDs - and half hardcover - ch. 14 to page 332)
audio read by Lucy Price-Lewis
genre: romance fiction

I loved Colgan's The Cafe by the Sea, but then barely got through two chapters of Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery (book 3 in a series, so perhaps I should start at book 1). This one was delightful but different than what I expected. Price-Lewis' vocal work was excellent, but I had to return the audiobook because someone was waiting for it and I had already renewed it enough . . . so glad the print edition was on the shelf when I did return it!

Liked:

• the love of books, reading, and libraries
• Nina's growth as a character
• the literary allusions (many of which went over my head! Clearly, I don't read enough.)
• the joy of the Scottish people in their celebrations and in their love of the land
• not being sure who Nina would connect with . . . I initially assumed Alasdair, the innkeeper . . . 

Disliked:
Not much, really. It's a delightful little romance with an actual story and wonderful characters.

Britt-Marie Was Here

by Fredrick Backman
Hennepin County Library hardcover 324
genre: realistic fiction, relationships

Another gem by Backman! Britt-Marie was one of my least-favorite characters in My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry. So naturally, this book starts with Britt-Marie being her usual pain-in-the-behind self. Newly divorced from Kent, she goes to the unemployment office. She ends up in Borg, cleaning the unused recreation center obsessively . . . and connecting with the sad residents of the recession-ravaged small town. It was a delightful book! There was a part that made me cringe, but I won't put any spoilers here. Backman is a master in character study!

The Beekeeper's Ball

by Susan Wiggs
Hennepin County Library audiobook 10 CDs
read by Christina Traister
genre: good question . . . read below

Clearly, this book was "good" enough (so subjective!) for me to "read" the entire thing start to finish. It is a bit bizarre, though, in its identity. I see it as an odd three-part story: bee science (and recipes including honey), traditional romance ("bodice ripper"), and historical fiction (WWII, Nazis, and resistance).

There was some very serious content woven throughout the book - women abused by boyfriends (in one case, causing a miscarriage), war and PTSD, infidelity and unwanted pregnancies, . . . and of course, Nazi Germany and all the atrocities of pogroms, concentration camps, etc.

To have that content alongside the cliched attraction between Isabel and Cormac was odd. Of course, they're finally going to give in to their mutual attraction and have sex. Duh.

The reader did an excellent job with the huge cast of characters - male and female, Danish accents, young and old - it was very good.

Bella Vista sounds heavenly, and I liked the themes of community, family, and acceptance.

I liked learning that "Helsingor" became "Elsinore" and was what Shakespeare referenced in Macbeth.

There are too many characters to even go into it here! I'm not sure how I feel about this author's choice to weave such serious historical content into a romance story . . . or even which I liked better! On the other hand, if I liked the taste of honey, I'd be getting a print copy of the book to try some recipes. The bee information was fascinating.

Send Down the Rain

by Charles Martin
Hennepin County Library hardcover 331 pages
genre: Christian fiction, relationships

Martin is a gripping storyteller! That said, he is very subtle about the faith aspect of his communication. I'm not sure if that's intentional to draw in readers who are not Christians, or if he doesn't see his writing as a platform for sharing his faith.

The blurb on the back would have helped me better understand the opening of this story! (I read it after I read the book.) Main characters are Joseph (Jo-Jo) and Allie, with Bobby, Jake, Suzy, Catalina, and others playing supporting roles.

We'll have a lively discussion on Monday, I'm sure! There are a lot of topics going on in this book - the Vietnam War, broken families, abuse, human trafficking, double lives, illegal immigrants, secrets, . . . he definitely wrote a powerful story.

Page 233 - "Long time ago, a friend gave me a gift I can never repay. The longer I live out the reality of that gift, the more I come to understand the enormity of what I owe and what is required to wipe the slate." (The message of grace . . . )

Page 258 - "Anger, rage . . . they're as real as you and me. They don't have bodies like us, but they live . . . live in us. Take up residence in our soul."

Page 270 - At the start of Chapter 39, the first overt mention of any "God-thing" is from Psalm 84:7 "They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion." Frankly, I didn't see how this was particularly fitting for this part of the story . . . but I'll probably be enlightened in our discussion.

Page 299 - The title reference! "'Watch over my boy . . . all the days of his life . . . and let him live to see the rain.' She closed her eyes. 'Send down the rain.'" Again, I'm eager for our discussion of the book. Joseph's mother prayed this for him after their conversation before he left for the war.

Page 312 - "I'd seen what evil could do. Evil never gave itself for anyone. It takes what it doesn't own. Holds your head under the water. Rips your head off your neck and dangles it from the city wall. Evil dominates. Controls. Eradicates. Evil is a sniveling punk, and if you let it inside you then you spew hatred, which is just another name for the poison we drink hoping it'll hurt someone else."

Page 320 - sweet passage. "The place where the tears come from is full again."

Page 325 - Epilogue "As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a spring; the rain also covers it with pools."

Page 329 - "'Thank . . . you.' The words were separated by pain and they were long and hard in coming. The empty tequila bottle bobbed in the distance. Glass reflecting sunlight. A diamond floating on the surface of the world. 'For giving me what I needed.' He swallowed and dug his hand into the package. 'And not what I deserved.'" Yes! This is how God loves us, by giving us what we need instead of what we deserve.

To be honest, a lot of this book was predictable. But it was very well-written and intense in parts. My favorite was Catalina and her children and how Jo-Jo interacted with them.

Wild Rover No More

Bloody Jack #? . . . the last one
by L.A. Meyer
Scott County Library hardcover 355 pages
genre: YA historical fiction, adventure

Meyer spent a lot of this final book in the series recounting adventures from other titles in the series. I liked the governess portion and how Jacky dealt with Edgar and Cathy. I would have liked even more follow-up from this part. The circus section was less engaging, but still some new ground. The life or death parts toward the end . . . just helped bring the bigger story arc to a close. Done!

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

by Timothy Keller
Hennepin County Library hardcover 241 pages plus end notes, etc.
genre: non-fiction, Christian apologetics

(At least, I think it's called "apologetics.")
Timothy Keller is amazing to me - calm, rational, firmly fixed on God's Word. This book was not a quick and easy read, but very, very worthwhile. I may buy my own copy. It's one I would definitely recommend for intellectual people who have issues with faith.

Page xii - "The people most passionate about social justice were moral relativists, while the morally upright didn't seem to care about the oppression going on all over the world." Ouch! Keller is writing about his own spiritual journey in the 1960s, but it's a fair criticism. Having grown up in a non-believing but social justice passionate household, I see too many believers who are indifferent to the suffering of others throughout the world.

Page 79 - "The people on the bus from hell in Lewis's parable would rather have their 'freedom,' as they define it, than salvation. Their delusion is that, if they glorified God, they would somehow lose power and freedom, but in a supreme and tragic irony, their choice has ruined their own potential for greatness. Hell is, as Lewis says, 'the greatest monument to human freedom.' As Romans 1:24 says, God 'gave them up to . . . their desires.' All God does in the end with people is give them what they most want, including freedom from himself. What could be more fair than that?" This is from the chapter "How Can a Loving God Send People to Hell?" It reminds me of people who say they would prefer to go to Hell, because it will be a big party of sinners having fun. This "logic" makes me so sad . . . I like how Keller puts forth the answer to this commonly asked question.

Page 94 - "Since Christian believers occupy different positions on both the meaning of Genesis I and on the nature of evolution, those who are considering Christianity as a whole should not allow themselves to be distracted by this intramural debate. The skeptical inquirer does not need to accept any one of these positions in order to embrace the Christian faith." Keller goes on to give a great perspective on keeping focused on the central claims of Christianity.

Page 95 - "Jesus's miracles in particular were never magic tricks, designed only to impress and coerce. You never see him say something like: 'See that tree over there? Watch me make it burst into flames!' Instead, he used miraculous power to heal the sick, feed the hungry, and raise the dead." I love how he talks about Jesus wanting to restore the world to the condition of wholeness and wellness that God intended.

Page 103 - The who section on The Da Vinci Code bugged me . . . how did a work of fiction come to have so much influence on people's beliefs?  This whole section shows the depth of scholarship about what we can know about Scripture and its reliability. Powerful!

Page 122 - In the section Keller calls "The Intermission," I love this observation! "Which account of the world has the most 'explanatory power' to make sense of what we see in the world and in ourselves? We have a sense that the world is not the way it ought to be. We have a sense that we are very flawed and yet very great. We have a longing for love and beauty that nothing in this world can fulfill. We have a deep need to know meaning and purpose. Which worldview best accounts for these things?"

Page 168-9 In "The Problem of Sin," Keller writes about something that sneaks in to my attitude sometimes! Ouch again! "If we get our identity from our ethnicity or socioeconomic status, then we have to feel superior to those of other classes and races. If you are profoundly proud of being an open-minded, tolerant soul, you will be extremely indignant toward people you think are bigots. If you are a very moral person, you will feel very superior to people you think are licentious. And so on." Wow! Help me to keep my eyes on You, Jesus! Humble my heart.

Page 170 - "The Hebrew word for this perfect, harmonious interdependence among all parts of creation is called shalom. We translate it as 'peace,' but the English word is basically negative, referring to the absence of trouble or hostility. The Hebrew word means much more than that. It means absolute wholeness - full, harmonious, joyful, flourishing life." I love this! I've always thought of "shalom" as just meaning "peace." This definition is so much richer!

Page 188 - In the section about forgiveness, Keller writes a powerful observation. "But when you try to get payment through revenge the evil does not disappear. Instead it spreads, and it spreads most tragically of all into you and your own character." Wow! So very true.

Page 236 - Another ouch! Examine your heart . . . "I will grant that, on the whole, churchgoers may be weaker psychologically and morally than non-churchgoers. That should be no more surprising than the fact that people sitting in a doctor's office are on the whole sicker than those who are not there. Churches rightly draw a higher proportion of needy people. They also have a great number of people whose lives have been completely turned around and filled by the joy of Christ." I like the analogy to the doctor's office, but still . . . that's a tough statement!

So much good in this book! Keller is incredible. I'm so glad he loves the Lord and strives to get people into relationship with Him!

Folds in the Map: Stories of Life's Unlikely Intersections

by Jeff Bauer
Ann's book paperback 147 pages
genre: memoir, essays

Ann loaned this to me ages ago! Bauer was someone she worked with at The Family Partnership. I wasn't super excited about reading it, but I'm so glad I did. Some of the essays didn't connect for me, but others were thought-provoking and powerful. My favorites were "Secret Wars" and "Beauty and Bread."

In "Living in the Middle," there was a passage I marked. "Children, with all of their curiosity and vulnerability, learning to become themselves while, at the same time, absorbing everything from the world around them. Scared, joyful, insecure, needing of unconditional love and protection. Just children." He is writing about seeing the fear and need in people's faces that reflects a child's need. He writes about the powerful impact of having his consciousness altered . . . but then notes that the intense awareness faded with time and returning home.

This is a lovely book. Kudos to Bauer for writing it and getting it published!

The Five Lessons a Millionaire Taught Me About Life and Wealth

by Richard Paul Evans
Hennepin County Library audiobook 2 CDs
read by the author
genre: non-fiction, self-help, finance

I took lots of notes on this, but won't include them all here. Louie and I listened to this together on our way to and from Leech Lake a few weeks ago. The first notes I wrote were, "Live frugally" and "Decide to be wealthy."

Briefly, the five things are
1. The Power of Commitment (choose)
2. Take Responsibility for Your Money
3. Keep a Portion of Everything You Earn
4. Win in the Margins
5. Give Back

Like I said, I have a LOT of detailed notes. I still struggle with some of the financial "stuff" I've been reading about . . . because I don't really care that much about money. But I want to be a responsible spouse and citizen . . . and I want to bless others. That's part of why I keep reading stuff like this.

Evans makes some great points, and I believe he's a Christian. Even though wealth is not my goal, he has some very helpful points.

Link to my GoogleDoc with my detailed notes is here. There are lots of other people who have posted info online (that is better organized and/or more concise than my jabbering).

Time Is Too Precious

This isn't the title of a book I read . . . rather it's acknowledgement of the fact that I do not need to complete a book just because I start it!

I can be rather compulsive. I am also curious and I love reading. That said, sometimes I need to recognize the fact that if I'm not enjoying a book or learning from it, I can just be done with it. I started to listen to an audiobook that I had already renewed at least once . . . I had even made notes about it to blog. But then I realized that the book was just bugging me. It was like a trashy romance book that aspired to something higher and better. Back to the library.

Then I started to listen to another audiobook that seemed like a higher-quality type of book. Again, I made some notes. A 75-year-old with a brain tumor, contemplating her life. But whether it was the text or the reader's strident voice, I just wasn't getting into it. Back to the library. Two in a row! That's almost unheard of for me.

The Veritas Conflict

by Shunti Feldhahn
loaned to me by Julie Abbott, paperback, 446 pages
genre: Christian fiction, spiritual warfare

This is going to be another very long post! Julie loaned this to me in March 2013. It sat for a long time on my book shelf! (Partly because 2013 was a rough time in my life and partly because I kept procrastinating on reading it. Spiritual warfare - like in Peretti's This Present Darkness - is not my favorite topic.) This book blew me away! I almost want to buy my own copy to re-read it. My overwhelming take-away is that believers absolutely must be in prayer. We cannot slack off on bringing our own lives and our loved ones' lives (and our neighbors, co-workers, etc.) before the Lord!

"A heavenly battle is raging for the heart and mind of a young co-ed, a college, and a nation. In this work of fiction, Harvard University is a centuries-old battleground in the struggle between good and evil, and one student has no idea she's about to be thrust onto the front lines. Claire Rivers arrives at Harvard an enthusiastic freshman but is ill prepared for the challenges she encounters to her Christian faith. Students and professors who proclaim 'tolerance' and revel in alternative lifestyles greet her beliefs with disdain - even hostility." (from the cover blurb)

This book was not at all what I expected and I loved the nuance and love that flowed throughout the story. Feldhahn went to Harvard and dealt with some of the challenges she gave to Claire in her story. Here are some of the many passages I post-it noted:

Page 23 - From a letter written by Cleon Grindley in the olden days after the school shield was changed to just "Veritas" (truth) from "Veritas pro Christo et Ecclesiae"  (Truth for Christ and Church) - "We can already see a change - subtle, but real. Those who do not know Christ feel much more comfortable with the university now, and those who are devout are beginning to feel as if they are somehow keeping their fingers in the hole of a dam." This sense of how confident, strong, or comfortable we are interests me. I completely understand the Bible's command that we GO and SHARE the Good News (as opposed to just hanging out in our churches with other believers), but there are times it is so very nice to share and celebrate with people who also love the Lord! The idea that when we dis-invite God from our lives, He obliges . . . and then we are bereft of His power, presence, and love as we try to make progress without Him . . . this passage just really caught my attention.

Page 51 - Claire's dad talking to friends - "We've always said that we were raising the kids to be salt and light in a decaying world, right? Well, at some point we have to let them go out into the darkness and trust God to care for them. After all, He's had the harder job trusting us with them all these years. Us trusting Him should be a piece of cake." This makes me laugh at myself! As I deal with the challenges of parenting adult children (who don't necessarily want any parenting from me), I realize that I need to trust God to guide them. I can't go back in the past and give them a more firm  foundation of faith. I need to trust God, love my kids, and pray for them.

Page 62 - I like how Mansfield communicates with Sharon, even when she's hostile. "Sharon took a big swig of her coffee and set the cup down. 'I have a hard time being friends with people like you.' 'Well, at least you're honest about it.' Mansfield raised his glass to her." There were so many really challenging concepts in this book. I love how Feldhahn handled them all!

Page 81 - "Harvard makes such a thing about tolerance and the freedom to express all viewpoints. Gays, communists, humanists, Buddhists - all are invited to participate in the 'marketplace of ideas.' But get some conservative Christian in here, and the marketplace of ideas is curiously closed." This is another truism in the current age and push for diversity. Too often, a Christian worldview is rejected as "hateful" or "narrow-minded" and not even listened to or respected.

Page 125 -"She has become wrapped in confusion and fear. But she must gain the knowledge to win the fight for her mind. She must develop the courage to take a public stand. God has not given His people a spirit of timidity or fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind! God has given her all those things, but she must learn how to walk in them and how to stand on them." One of the angels watching over Claire . . . and 2 Timothy 1:7 is one of my absolute favorite verses! Even though this is in reference to a young woman (less than half my current age), I too feel as though I need to learn how to "walk in" the things God has given me in the spirit.

Page 157 - "Let every student be plainly instructed and earnestly pressed to consider well the main end of his life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life, John 17:3, and therefore to lay Christ in the bottom, as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning." - from Harvard's College Laws dated six years after the founding in 1636! I didn't know that Harvard was founded as a Christian college!

Page 200 - This passage made me think of Financial Peace University and Dave Ramsey! "See, my dad had gotten hooked on credit cards. It sounds stupid, but it seems a lot like Teresa's mom and her gambling addiction. These credit card companies were throwing themselves at him, sending preapproved cards with limits of thousands of dollars. He started using the cards for convenience but ended up spending way more than we made. I don't know all the details, you know, but it became a stretch just to pay the minimums each month, and eventually we couldn't even afford those. And the more he got himself in debt, the more the card companies seemed to like him." Claire is confiding in Brad. The friendship and trust between these two characters was another part of the book I really liked.

Page 247 - '"How do you react when you're busy with your daily life and come across someone's urgent, now-or-never sort of need? Do you tell the oppressed prisoner of the dark world that you're busy now but you'll come back to your underground espionage job at two o'clock next Tuesday? Or do you prayerfully rearrange your daily life to fit the calling of your true job? I have news for you, dear saints." He leaned forward on the podium. "Ministry is always inconvenient."' The pastor in a church Claire was visiting . . . so very true! I loved the sermon he gave.

Page 253 - " . . . have the courage to speak the truth in love. It takes guts, Claire. Guts to publicly defend an unpopular position, especially when you're defending yourself to a professor. But 'always be prepared to give an answer for the hope that is within you.' And when you speak for the Truth, pray for those you're talking with and trust the Holy Spirit to give you the words to say. But always, always speak in love. If they're abusive - and trust me, Claire, they sometimes will be - -respond with the grace that Christ showed, and you will be blameless before God and man." Ian giving advice to Claire. There were so many passages that resonated for me in this book.

Page 282-3 - This letter to Claire from Miss Gana from Nigeria who had been her camp counselor. What a powerful impact godly believers can have on the people in their lives!

I especially like where she wrote "You must cling to Him. If in your future there is a fight against what GOd has for you, you must cling even more strongly to Him. Psalm 91 says that He will send His angels to protect you, but it also says that protection is for 'he who dwells in the shadow of the Most High.' So dwell there."

Page 325 - A conversation between Claire and Bethany:
"You know how you thought Christianity was so exclusive and intolerant? Well, I just realized . . . it's actually the most inclusive religion in the world!"
"How's that?" Bethany's voice was flat.
"Every other belief system requires you to meet some standard in order to go to heaven, or achieve nirvana, or whatever their equivalent is. But with Christ --" she leaned toward Bethany, her eyes intent -- "anyone can go to heaven. Not just the good people! Every other faith is so much more exclusive that it is actually mean. They say you have to be good to go to heaven, but who knows how good you really have to be? What they're saying is that you might die and find out, 'Oh, sorry! You're only allowed two hundred lies in a lifetime, and you told two hundred and one. Too bad.'" She jerked her thumb downward.
"Do you see? In Christianity there is one -- only one -- step, and everyone knows what it is: Give your life to Jesus. The good, the bad, the rich, the poor -- they're all God's children. He knows that none of us is going to be as good as He requires -- which is perfect -- so He made a way for anyone to be saved!"
I loved the interactions between Claire and Bethany and the love of Christ that Claire was able to share, even when Bethany was hostile.

Page 448 - I found the author's notes very interesting and worth reading. "One reason I wrote this book is that when I was at Harvard, I had no idea how to defend what I believed, and I got hammered in my classes, as did many of my friends. My prayer is that the 'relationship apologetics' in this book will help others learn how to defend their faith in a welcome and effective manner, while still building relationships with those they actively disagree with."

Wow! It has taken me about two weeks to get this entry done! What an amazing book. I love how Feldhahn has written an interesting story filled with spiritual lessons.

Robert B. Parker's Kickback: A Spenser novel

by Ace Atkins
Hennepin County Library audiobook 6 CDs
read by Joe Mantegna
genre: mystery

I got this (as well as several other titles) in preparation for my road trip with my sister Louise. I'm not sure how many (if any) Robert Parker books I've ever read, but I recognized the name as one she likes. Since Parker is dead and this was written by a different person (Atkins), I figured she hadn't read it yet. I was right! She knew the characters and some of the "in" jokes that I didn't get.

Spenser takes on a case for a distraught mom whose son was sent to a juvenile facility for a minor offense. As he looks into the case, there are two "dirty" judges and connections to the underworld.

Some of it was interesting and some of Spenser's attitude was funny. I see why this character resonates for Louise.

Hope: A Memoir of Survival in Cleveland

by Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus,
with Mary Jordan and Kevin Sullivan
Hennepin County Library audiobook, 10 CDs
read by Jorjeana Marie, Marisol Ramirez and Arthur Morey
genre: non-fiction, memoir

This was horrible. The title first caught my attention. Hope is such a powerful entity.

As I was listening to disc one, I thought about stopping. It's just too horrible and depressing. Then I realized that these women survived a terrible ordeal . . . and I couldn't handle "listening" to their story?! That didn't seem right. They deserve to have their story heard. (This made me think of how awful it was to watch the first 20 minutes of Saving Private Ryan. I had to pause the video and think, "My stomach is in knots watching this on a screen while I'm safe in my living room. What on earth was it like for the young men who were actually there, seeing the carnage, on those beaches in the 1940s????")

The Sylvia Brown psychic story when she told Amanda's mom on Montel Williams' show that Amanda was dead . . . that loss of hope was so awful.

It's horrific that Arlene Castro and Gina were best friends. Amanda knew another of his daughters. Michelle was friends with Castro's daughter Emily. Yuk. What a hideous man! And Arlene had "behavioral issues" after Gina went missing? Wow. If she'd only known . . .

Timeline. As I was listening, I tried to think of what I was doing and how old my kids were on the dates of these women's stories.
August 22, 2002 - Michelle Knight taken
April 21, 2003 - Amanda Berry abducted the day before her seventeenth birthday
April 2, 2004 - Gina DeJesus was taken (only 14 years old!!! And he knew her parents!)
March 2, 2006 - Amanda's mother, Luanne Miller, died age 43
December 25, 2006 - Amanda gave birth to Jocelyn Jade
May 6, 2013 - they rescued themselves. Ariel Castro was arrested.
September 3, 2013 - Castro killed himself by hanging. (9:18 pm - less than a half hour after the last check on him . . . I can't believe they tried CPR and called for an ambulance. I suppose they had to. Thirty-three days after he was sentenced.)

There's a more thorough timeline at www.cbsnews.com/news/timeline-of-events-the-cleveland-kidnapping-case/ . . . but it's still all horrific.

The part on April 10, 2013 when Castro was visiting with his daughter Angie . . . chilling. How on earth did his four children from his first marriage reconcile his actions with the dad they knew (once they found out, of course)? Angie's last visit to the house on Seymour Avenue . . . how awful.

When Gina started cutting, it just added to the sadness of what she experienced. How did these women survive?!?! Yes, hope. Hope to see their families again, to be free. I'm so glad their families never gave up on finding them.

I'm sad to not know more of Michelle's story, but I don't think I can handle reading her book. The fact that Castro had beaten her to make her miscarry (multiple times) is just another layer of horror.

"I have no choice." That phrase came up a lot from both Amanda and Gina. Castro was an icky creepy nasty man!

Jocelyn Jade - Amanda Berry's daughter. The key to their escape!

As I'm listening to the part immediately after they're rescued and she is meeting with lawyers at her sister's house, I am in tears hearing the reader say (as Amanda) - "I'm not sure what lawyers can do, but I want a headstone for my mother's grave and I want a birth certificate for Jocelyn."

All the times that Castro insisted that he was a victim, or that the girls had had consensual sex with him, or that his "faith" kept him from being a danger to himself . . . makes me want to puke. What a horrible, twisted human being!

I'm so glad that there was an outpouring of support (and money) for these women once they were free. I cannot begin to imagine how challenging it was for them to rebuild lives after a decade of imprisonment and torture. I remember when they were found - it was all over the news. But to hear their stories and their focus on hope and the future - that's inspiring.

Then Sings My Soul

by Amy K Sorrells
Hennepin County Library paperback 298 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction

"When Nel Stewart returns home after the sudden death of her mother, she realizes her beloved father, Jakob, is struggling with dementia."

That's the first part of the back cover blurb. Nel as a character never really resonated for me. I was much more interested in the story of Jakob's childhood escaping the atrocities in Ukraine. "Told partially through Jakob's flashbacks of fleeing genocide-ridden eastern Europe at the turn of the twentieth century . . . " Jakob's life and story were what really spoke to me in this book.

For not having an "I LOVE this book" reaction, I sure put a lot of post-it notes in the pages . . .

I started noting the vocabulary words that were new for me. That was an odd sensation, reading a book and thinking, "what does that mean?" I was not familiar with "lapidary" but quickly used context clues to know that it had to do with gemstones, jewelry, etc. (M-W.com: lapidary - 1:

a cutter, polisher, or engraver of precious stones usually other than diamonds  2 : the art of cutting gems). This further bugged me because I kept thinking of butterflies (Lepidoptera) for some reason. Then "cabochons" came up numerous times! I understood that it was a certain piece of jewelry, but I didn't know what. The author finally defined it on page 168, after using it a half dozen times. Urg! (M-W.com: cabochon -1: a gem or bead cut in convex form and highly polished but not faceted; also 2: this style of cutting). 

Then on page 86, "plangent" vibrations . . . what?! (M-W.com: plangent - 1 : having a loud reverberating sound 2 : having an expressive and especially plaintive quality). I should probably have known that, but I didn't! So I guess you could say this book was educational.

 

Page 45 - "Over the past year or so, it was Catherine who had been covering for him. The lines between past and present, real and not real blurred more and more frequently in his mind." This reminds me so much of my mom's struggles toward the end of her life. It's so sad to see someone you love become confused.

 

Page 47 - "He eventually realized the hole in the heart of a woman who longs for children is not something he - nor any man - could fill." Oh, this makes me think of someone I care about very much who is struggling with infertility. All I can do is pray and try to be supportive.

 

Page 85 - "God seemed to be everywhere around the dead, but Jakob had yet to find much evidence of Him around the living, besides on the countenance of his wife and a few other exceptions like Mattie." The truth of this overwhelms me! For so many people who do not yet know or love the Lord, they don't see the love and life and joy of Jesus! Believers need to shine the Light of the world!

 

Page 92 - "It's only because I say the prayers every morning and every night, whether I feel like it or not, that my heart has not hardened like granite." I love Peter and his attempts to get through to Jakob! I love this idea that you pray whether you feel like it or not. God is so good!

 

Page 94 - Jakob tells Peter about Faigy and what happened and how guilty he has felt. Oh this made me so sad!

 

 Page 97 - "'It's easy when something bad happens, especially when someone you love very much dies, to become bitter and angry at God. . . . Because God does not cause the bad. Man causes the bad. God is always good. And so we are always to praise Him.'" This time, the wisdom comes from Mama before the evil hits home. (This is where Peter gets his faith!)

Page 151 - "'Do not let the evil harden your heart, my son. You must believe God is bigger than all this.'" Luda was another amazing character as the boys fled the Ukraine. 

 

Page 181 - "Men, he knew, could do far more harm to humans than any machine." For Jakob to learn this at such a young age . . . how do children recover from seeing evil?

 

Page 190 - "She learned about missionaries like Stuart Hine from Britain . . . Andrey Sheptytsky . . . " This whole section made me want to do some research! These allusions to people I've never heard of who made an impact for God makes me want to know more.

 

Page 217 - "'Say it always. The words in your head will help the truth return to your heart. . . '" Peter again. I was crying by this point. The theme of forgiveness is so strong on this page!

Page 295-6 - "It's a grand shame most of us don't know the impact of what we're doing with a person until it's too long past or too painful to revisit, Jakob thought. Then again, maybe it's better not knowing and having done the thing anyway." I want to be intentional in loving people and sharing God's love to the best of my ability! 

In her afterwords, Sorrells writes about her inspirations in writing this story. One of them references her grandfather. "The metaphor of a rough and unsightly rock or mineral being faceted and polished into something beautiful, and how Yahweh does the same thing with us is one that never grows old or cliche' to me." I'm so thankful to God for shaping and polishing me!

Also in the afterword, she listed books on different topics that came up in the story. Here are her recommendations on dementia:

* Still Alice by Lisa Genova

* No Act of Love Is Ever Wasted: The Spirituality of Caring for Persons with Dementia by Jane Marie Thibault and Richard L. Morgan

* Not Alone: Encouragement for Caregivers by Nell E. Noonan

 

Boston Jacky: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of Jacky Faber, Taking Care of Business

by L.A. Meyer
Scott County Library hardcover 364 pages
genre: YA historic fiction, adventure

This was #11 in the series and one of my least favorites. Jacky is back in Boston, but the ladies of the Women's Temperance Union are on the move against her. The "protection" groups / gangs are also causing trouble for her and her newly purchased Pig and Whistle.

While I appreciate how Meyer includes relevant historical information in these entertaining tales, I was a bit surprised this time around. From page 178: "'Ah well, yes, there are several jewel merchants, all of a Hebraic persuasion here in Boston, and they were most avid in examining the collection, a loupe to every eye. I perceived them to be honest brokers, and since their business was global in nature, very few questions were asked.'"  I can't imagine too many teen readers are aware of the historical punch that this observation packs.

I have never liked the nasty Constable Wiggins and the meanness of some of the characters in Boston. When Joanie and Ravi are taken from Jacky and put in horrible institutions, I expected Jacky to rescue them immediately. But the fight for their liberty took much longer and became quite convoluted. On page 225, "I stand there totally perplexed and wounded, too. I have been called many things in this life, but this is new to me and it cuts me to my core . . . unfit mother . . . " I felt a bit sad for Jacky here.

Clarissa's double-cross, yet another misunderstanding between Jacky and Jaimy, the destruction of her hard work, the arsonist, . . . there were so many more unpleasant parts to this story than there were fun, funny, or heroic parts.

Theoretically, the next book (#12) is the last one. Hooray! May it all end on a high note.

The Cafe' by the Sea

by Jenny Colgan
Hennepin County Library audiobook 8 CDs
read by the author
genre: realistic fiction, romance

What a fun book! I think my favorite part may have been listening to the lovely accents. I didn't realize that the author was also the vocal talent until I started this blog entry. Beautiful!

Flora is a paralegal in London when her boss (whom she has a huge crush on) asks her to go to the small Scottish island of Mure to help a wealthy client. Flora does NOT want to go back to the island she grew up on and has not been back to since her mother's funeral. Once she goes, though, old and new collide in her life.

I loved this book!

Lorna is such a wise and wonderful friend.

"You're in a different world when you lose a parent." Yes! And grief is an odd thing.

I *love* the Scottish tongue! I could listen to this book over and over just to hear her voice!

Wow. Flora is grumpier than me!

Joel is such a jerk! I liked learning more about him as the story went on.

Agate - cool name! Flora, Fenton, Innis, Hammish, and Eck? (I couldn't find a list of the characters online . . . not that I looked super hard. That's one of the challenges of audiobooks and not seeing the words in print!)

I didn't realize she had written so many books! I'll have to find some more. Reading this one made me want to make scones!

(Above written 7.16.18. Below added 9.18.18.)

Some notes from listening a second time:

• I looked on a map of Scotland for an island called Muir or Mure or anything like that. Nope. But very interesting to learn more about Scotland!
• I dislike how much the characters used the Lord's name in vain! Not a lot of other swearing, but it's hard to hear His name used as an expletive.
• Benefits of fresh air, outdoors, etc.! Loved this! Made me want to go outside for a hike.
• Title . . . it takes quite a while to get to the cafe' part of the story.
• "Nobody could conceivably fancy someone who didn't like dogs." - I love when Flora makes this comment. I too am a dog lover!

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

by C.S. Lewis
personal paperback 248 pages
genre: YA Christian allegorical fiction / fantasy

My pastor referenced this book a while back. It had been quite a while since I had read any of the Chronicles of Narnia, so I put it on my reading pile. Now that I've re-read it, I don't know what pastor had referenced!

I remember liking Reepicheep and his sassy, saucy attitude. It's nice to see Eustace transform from a brat into a decent kid (via life as a dragon . . . ).

In Chapter 7, Eustace is telling about what helped him transform back into a human from dragon form. Tearing off the dragon skin and being tender underneath . . . sounds a lot like the old man becoming a new creation.

In Chapter 10, when Lucy is reading in the Magician's Book, I like how her defiance and determination to do something she knows is wrong has sad consequences. I can relate! I hate it when I ignore that "still, silent voice" of the Holy Spirit and do something I know is wrong . . . and the results are predictable.

Chapter 12 and the Dark Island was very interesting. I love that they were rescued by Lucy's prayers to Aslan when they were trapped in their darkness and fear.

Ashes

book three of the Ashes trilogy
by Ilsa Bick
Scott County Library hardcover 671 pages
genre: YA dystopian fiction

I'm finally done. This was as gory and horrid as book two. I'm such a glutton for punishment!

I should have made a character map. I found out what happened to Alex, Tom, and Ellie. And Mina, Wolf/Simon, Peter, Finn, Jess, Kincaid, and about fifty other characters. Lots of murder and mayhem. Lots of dystopian darkness. My curiosity is appeased.

The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy

by Thomas J. Stanley, Ph.D. and William D. Danko, Ph.D.
Hennepin County Library hardcover 258 pages
genre: non-fiction sociology

This book was referenced in a number of different places and I'm glad I read it. My two biggest take-aways (personally) were to live below my means and I just don't care that much about wealth. Yep. My personal takeaways.

On page 22,  the table "The top fifteen economically productive small population ancestry groups" lists people groups from primarily Caucasian countries. Perhaps it's because people from African and South American countries are larger population groups in the U.S.? Or because these people have not been able to attain great wealth?

Page 24 really caught my eye! "They are the opposite of their father, the blue-collar, successful business owner. His children have become Americanized. They are part of the high-consuming, employment-postponing generation. How many generations does it take for an ancestry group that today contains thousands of Victors to become Americanized? Only a few. Most move into the 'American normal' range within one or two generations. This is why America needs a constant flow of immigrants with the courage and tenacity of Victor. These immigrants and their immediate offspring are constantly needed to replace the Victors of America." And these authors are pretty conservative! I wonder what they think of Trump's isolationist policies . . .

I love how the parts on children of wealthy parents differentiate by career. As wealthy parents give financial gifts to their children, many just waste that money! (Easy come, easy go.) "In spite of having lower incomes than nonreceivers, gift receivers who are high school / elementary school teachers have higher net worths than nonreceivers." Yep. Because teachers know how to scrimp!

There are actually a lot of really interesting observations they have made from their research into millionaires. Despite what we see from Hollywood, there are only a very small percentage of the ultra-wealthy with the high lifestyle. Most millionaires are self-made through entrepreneurial efforts. They generally buy used cars and keep them several years, work very hard, and live below their means so they can amass wealth.

At many points in this book, I thought, "But I just don't care that much about money!" Life is short and precious and I want to store up treasures in Heaven. Eternity is more important than stuff.

Page 219 had some really interesting things to say about immigration law . . . and this was published in 1996. It would be very interesting to see a revised book. Stanley has died (his daughter wrote the forward on this 2010 publication).  If they were able to replicate the research, would their findings be the same? What about all the dot-com entrepreneurs? I think it's interesting to see that Bill and Melinda Gates do not plan to just hand their wealth to their children. This book really has a lot of sad observations about the generational impact of wealth. It's easy to spend someone else's money . . .

Treasure Mountain

by Louis L'Amour
Scott County Library audiobook 5 CDs
read by David Strathairn
genre: western

1890s? I haven't read a Louis L'Amour book for a while. This was a Sackett book, but it started with Orrin and then shifted to William Tell . . . as they tried to discover what had happened twenty years earlier when their dad disappeared. Here are some impressions I had while listening.

The hotel worker / former slave is named Judas Priest . . . I wonder what that meant to the author when he wrote this. It made me think of the heavy metal band, and the Bible.
In chapter seven, when they talked with Phillip, I laughed at the characters who had gone out west twenty years ago - Mr. Sackett with Pierre, Andre Baston, Hippo Swan, Angus Priest, and Pettigrew! (I instantly thought of Harry Potter with that one . . . )

They're seriously trying to uncover what had happened out west in the mountains twenty years earlier?

I had to look up "dido" because he used it at least twice. Here's what Merriam-Webster says:

1: a mischievous or capricious act : prank, antic —often used in the phrase cut didoes

2 : something that is frivolous or showy 

 

It was funny how L'Amour seemed to be trying to show how enlightened he was in terms of his attitudes toward racial differences (as shown in how the noble Sacketts treated former slaves). Yet coming from the very PC 20teens, his language choices are just so NOT as enlightened. 

 

Why on earth would Tell insist on going out alone to face murderers when there are capable friends who could help? He's not much of a strategist.

 

This is the eleventh Sackett book (according to the end blurb). I like the Sacketts, but the ending was so abrupt and the western macho just not my favorite style. It was a fun, quick change of pace.

First Grave on the Right

by Darynda Jones
Scott County Library audiobook 8 CDs
read by Lorelei King
genre: paranormal mystery fiction

This was fun, but won't become a series I go back to. What I liked: the humor and mystery, as well as the fact that I listened to the first two discs with my sister Louise who *loved* the main character and the author's style.

What I didn't like: the cavalier attitude toward Heaven and Hell, God and Satan . . . that was not apparent at first and yet I couldn't get past it.

"Charley Davidson is a part-time private investigator and full-time grim reaper. Meaning, she sees dead people. Really. And it's her job to convince them to 'go into the light.'"

There were many funny lines and parts in the story. (I loved when she called her Uncle Bob "UB" / "Eubie" . . . ) And I was very curious about the "whodunnit" aspects of the story. But I thought her having sex with an incorporeal being was a bit too odd . . . especially when I found out the connections.

I made a cheat sheet about her encounters with "The Big Bad" as I was reading - the day of her birth, when she was four years old and abducted, when she was five years old with the Johnson girl, in high school when a guy tried to run her down with his dad's SUV, in college when a guy attacked her. When she met with Reyes' sister, it was nice to have a little clarity.

As Bright As Heaven

by Susan Meissner
Carver County Library hardcover 387 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction

Generalities - well-written, fascinating look at the era (1918-1925), great characters, chapters told from POV of the mom and each of the daughters. Don't remember if any were told by male characters.

Pauline, her husband Thomas, and their three daughters Evelyn (15), Maggie (12), and Willa (6) move to Philadelphia when baby Henry dies at six months old. Thomas goes from working in the tobacco barns for his dad to working as an undertaker with his uncle Fred. The impact of the war and the Spanish influenza affect this family deeply. Death is a main character in this book!

Page 70 - ". . . I think that grief is such a strange guest, making its home in a person like it's a new thing that no one has ever experienced before. It is different for every person." So true! This just struck me. Grief is a strange guest that makes itself at home.

Page 116 - "I am suddenly overcome by my inability to understand why some will survive the flu and some won't. Why some babies live and some don't. Why some people pass away in a warm bed full of years while others have their breath snatched from them before they've earned so much as one gray hair." The essential unfairness of this is something I've struggled with. I trust God completely, but would love to ask Him why things are this way.

Page 180 - Without putting a spoiler here, I'll just say that I was sobbing after reading this page . . .

Page 211 - This was almost too much! "Evie was already home and she was sad. Her favorite teacher, Mr. Galway, is dead. And a boy she liked named Gilbert." Enough with the dying! This started to make me think of Laurie Halse Anderson's Fever 1793 . . . what a wonderful way to study history - through fiction! Even depressing aspects of history . . .

Page 225 - "That's how it is. Something breaks, you fix it as best you can. There's always a way to make something better, even if it means sweeping up the broken pieces and starting all over. That's how we keep moving, keep breathing, keep opening our eyes every morning, even when the only thing we know for sure is that we're still alive." Although this is a somewhat bleak place to be, it rings true. Looking for the positives, looking ahead - that's important.

Page 379 - "When something good happens, and even when something bad happens, you want to share it with the person who holds your heart." This is so true! I'm so grateful that I can share with Louie - the good, the bad, the everyday. This is one of the things that was hard about losing my mom; some of the things I wanted to share with her (about teaching, life, etc.) I couldn't anymore.

Overall, I enjoyed the book but was disappointed that Meissner's writing seems to be getting more secular and less faith-focused. She's an excellent writer, but I want to read Christian fiction that challenges and / or grows my faith. This was just a good book set in an interesting era with interesting characters.

You Need a Budget: The Proven System for Breaking the Paycheck-to-Paycheck Cycle, Getting Out of Debt, and Living the Life You Want

by Jesse Mecham
Hennepin County Library hardcover 200 pages
genre: non-fiction, financial literacy

I read through page 45 before it was due back at the library. Now I'm #31 on the waiting list, so here are some thoughts before they fade:

- this is similar to Dave Ramsey's stuff, but without a Christian perspective and with some small differences.
- the author's style is appealing and accessible
- that said, I thought about buying a copy of this book from Amazon to share with some people . . . except they don't have children and there are lots of references to child care expenses, saving for a child's college education, etc. That might be off-putting for the folks I'm thinking of . . .
- I am curious enough and engaged enough by his writing style to finish the book when I get it again.

I wrote the above in early April 2018, below on 6.11.18:

 His four rules are:
1. Give Every Dollar a Job
2. Embrace Your True Expenses
3. Roll With the Punches
4. Age Your Money

I won't explain them here - just read the book! This is more a reminder for me.

Page 53 - "Question everything. Once a year (I like to do this in January), question every one of your expenses. . . . Every single item should be on the table. Following the tactic of asking why six or seven times as it relates to any one of your line items will help you peel back the layers of that priority and really see it for what it is." This is tough for me because Louie and I have different priorities and perspectives. It's good for us to talk about it, though!

Pages 106-7 - ways to "sprint" to get where you need to be with budgeting: pick up freelance work or do odd jobs, sell your stuff, get intense about not spending, outsource your stuff. I'm not good about these things, but then we aren't in a really tough place right now, either.

Page 121 - "Navigating Yours, Mine, and Ours" - I thought about scanning or copying this entire section. Or just asking Louie to read it. This is a bit different from how we currently plan our budget. "It's too easy to assume that your priorities are the same as mine. Or that our priorities are always more important than mine. These quiet assumptions are what make budgeting as a couple stressful when it absolutely doesn't have to be. The key to keeping your priorities clear, and your budget stress-free, is communicating."

The chapter on "Budgeting as a Couple" is another one I wanted to copy from . . . "Technicalities aside, joint accounts also keep you from worrying about who earned what money. You've committed to being partners for life. It doesn't matter who earned what. It's one shared pool of money that is funding your shared life together. Embrace that and support one another on the journey." (pg. 125) 

I also really liked the chapter on "When You Feel Like Quitting." Good stuff here. I may still want to buy a copy of this book!

Pages 199-200 have lots of other resources:
www.youneedabudget.com/classes
www.youtube.com/YouNeedABudget
www.youneedabudget.com/blog
etc. . . .

Glass Sword

by Victoria Aveyard
Scott County Library audiobook 12 CDs
read by
genre: YA dystopian

Ugh! This has taken me forever to get through! Louie and I started it on a car trip, but didn't enjoy it as much as the first book. Then we listened to some more on another car trip. Then I fell asleep and got the CDs from the library again to re-listen. Why wasn't I getting into this story? Why didn't I care about Mare and Cal? Who was this nasty Colonel dude?

Here are some notes to my "re-listen":
- Gisa's broken hand is Mare's "fault" . . . how? Why does she think everything is about her? Gisa made her own choices and the silver guards were cruel.
- so much of this is overwrought, filled with self-recriminations, teen angst . . . how much is the text and how much is the narrator? Would I like this story better in print?
- Bree, Tramy, Shade, Mare, and Gisa . . . the Barrows are quite the family.
- She is so condescending to Kilorn! "Fish Boy" and thinking she has to protect him all the time
- She's a bit bloodthirsty about wanting to exact revenge on Maven by killing him with her own hands . . . then she's still somewhat lovelorn toward him and the closeness they shared. Yuk on both.
- she agonizes over stupid stuff, then kills mercilessly (the silvers in the control tower at the prison)
- I actually appreciate that I know the ending of the story already (I was awake for that part) because there are little snippets that make sense in light of how the ending goes.
- I'm pretty sure Louie and I totally skipped disc 8 by accident! I kept asking him "Who is John?" and he didn't know . . . but there was a large chunk of the story that we didn't get. It makes a bit more sense when you hear it all.
- Her lack of logic in cause / effect reasoning and if / then statements . . . this was crazy-making!
- This isn't a spoiler alert, but rather an idea that the text suggested . . . We infer that Shade and Farley were both in love and physically intimate, but there's a part toward the end that made me think, "Is Farley pregnant with Shade's child?!" I may have to read the next book to find out!

Viva Jacquelina!

by L.A. Meyer
Scott County Library hardcover 360 pages
genre: YA historical adventure
(Bloody Jack #10)

I enjoyed this one a bit more than the last few . . . but they're all quick little adventures that are very readable. In this book, Jacky is again sent as a spy. This time she ends up in Spain with the very unpleasant General Wellesley. Richard is near and dear until he is injured in battle. Jacky ends up in Madrid at Goya's studio (where she works, models, learns, flirts, etc.). The author brings in fine art and the Inquisition as well as the French and Spanish fighting forces and politics. Jaime, meanwhile, is recuperating at Charlie Chen's in the Far East. Oh, and there's also a little bullriding at the running of the bulls . . .

My notes said "more innuendo, flirting, etc. / Spain / Goya / gypsies"

Unsung Lullabies: Understanding and Coping with Infertility

by Janet Jaffe, Ph.D.; Martha Ourieff Diamond, Ph.D.; and David J. Diamond, Ph.D.
Great River Regional Library via Scott County Library, paperback 261 pages
genre: non-fiction, infertility

I read this on behalf of someone I care about very much. She suggested it to help me understand what she was going through. Although I can't "relate" to infertility (pregnant one month after my wedding at age 20 . . . three healthy children by the time I was 25), I completely understand personal pain and struggle. I'm glad I read it (and am already thinking that anyone struggling with infertility would already by horrified by my personal comment about pregnancies that happened quickly and easily . . . ). I'm going to leave that as part of my post, though, because it's true. I personally did not struggle with this issue at all.

Chapter 3 - The Losses of Infertility - this chapter really helped me to understand a little bit of how huge, painful, and challenging this issue can be. It affects so many aspects of a person's life! Identity, marriage, communication, emotions, finance . . . I marked a sentence on page 58 that really stood out. "Perhaps it's because our partner is a constant reminder of our loss, but it is ironic that the very person we need the most at this time turns out to be the person that we get angry and frustrated with, and can't stand to look at anymore." This dynamic is completely understandable, yet makes me so sad!

Page 75 deals with some of the "grandparent" generation and their relationships with adult children struggling with infertility. "Even when I try to be supportive, she rebuffs me, like I'm not good enough for her." So often, these miscommunications and challenges grow instead of resolving. I'm thinking hard about my own communication and my need to be a better listener.

I tagged a point of view on page 108 that resonates strongly with me! "Rather than thinking of infertility as if you entire self is flawed (both physically and emotionally), you need to view it as a part of your physical body that is not working correctly. If Fran had a broken arm or needed to wear glasses, would she still worry that her husband would no longer love her? Of course not, but because the effects of infertility are so pervasive, it is difficult to keep perspective so we question the very essence of who we are."

Communication! Page 146 had a great analogy ' "Consider your three-year-old nephew throwing a tantrum - he's communicating, but it's hard to figure out how to soothe his frustration while he's screaming. When your husband withdraws into silence, he is communicating, but you must guess what he is trying to say - is he angry? Sad? Tired? Depressed? Just quiet?" Communication is so important, but it doesn't always come naturally!

The second paragraph on page 159 . . . is one I want someone else to read and think about. . .

Page 189 has great advice for *any* issue that you aren't comfortable talking about! "And always know that if a question arises that you aren't willing to discuss, you can simply respond, 'That's off limits' or 'I don't want to talk about that.'" I've used that tactic! I like to be completely honest, but if someone asks me something I don't want to share, I just say so! It's very liberating to maintain complete honesty while not sharing that which you prefer not to share.

I loved the way the authors laid out different options on page 212. As part of a couple's "reproductive story," they ask questions to help them figure out what to do next. Here's one example: "Is having a biological child the most important? If so, then you might be willing to relinquish your wish to conceive 'naturally' and use IUIs or IVF, if it would mean that the baby carried your and your partner's genetic selves."

The authors are all doctors, but they are also all human beings who have personally struggled with infertility. They use a lot of patient stories and examples. This is a well-written book.

The Woman at the Well

by Dale Evans Rogers
Hennepin County Library hardcover 191 pages
(copyright 1970!)
genre: autobiography, Christian witness

I don't remember why I requested this book . . . a conversation with someone or a reference in something else I read. I vaguely knew who Dale Evans and Roy Rogers were, but am always curious to learn more. Born in 1912, Frances Octavia Smith eloped at age 14 and got divorced when she was just 16 (and her firstborn was six months old)!

She condenses much of her early life into the first few chapters so that she can focus on her life as a Christian. At times, I loved this book. At other times, I cringed. (Like when she referred to her daughter Robin as a "Mongoloid" . . . even if that's the terminology of the time, I actually had to search it online to ascertain that it referred to Down Syndrome.)

She was an entertainer all her life, and this paragraph on page 48 really caught my eye!

"I worked harder than hard, and things seemed to be OK until I turned down the invitation of a top executive . . . I never meant to insult him, but he took it as a personal affront . . . I had too much pride in accomplishment to buy my way. I did not want to become obligated to anyone, in any way, to further my career. I had promised myself that I would never get trapped in such an involvement. I have always been infuriated with men who used their high position to acquire the scalps of hapless and heedless women. This was one area where I stuck to my guns, and I have never regretted it."

Good for her! What a tough cookie!

I also loved this on page 84: "I am Baptist, Episcopalian, Methodist, Disciples of Christ, Presbyterian! I don't think of the Church as a building or as a denomination; it is a body of believers in Christ - in His birth and Person and ministry, in His Atonement, His Resurrection, His Coming Again to receive us unto Himself. Denominations are fellowships. The Church is His body, and it has many members - not all of which function in exactly the same way. Who is to say that one denomination (or function) is 100 percent right and another 100 percent wrong? God is the judge of all that."

I am so glad that God judges and knows our hearts!

Page 113 horrified me . . . I understand that some people lack the idea of boundaries and compassion with celebrities . . . but to have a carload of fans and autograph seekers show up at her dad's FUNERAL to ask for autographs!?!? That is just horrifying.

That said, I love that she included some photos. They really added to the book. It would have been nice to see even more! (Thanks to Google, I got to see more pictures.)

Page 136-146 was a bit too much for me. I liked an early statement: "It was God who made the races, not man. And nowhere do we hear God saying that He prefers any one race to another." She talks about pride (as in thinking you're better than someone with a different skin color) as a sin and a stench in God's nostrils.

But then she basically says that she's against "intermarriage" of people of different races. As she's going on and on about race and animals and interbreeding, it just gets messy and unpleasant. "Basically I am opposed to such intermarriage, because I know that it seldom works, and that it can have a terrible effect upon the children of such a marriage. And basically I believe that each race has its own beauty and its particular value in God's creation. Would we like our pretty bouquets of many-colored flowers, if they were all red roses, or all yellow, or all white roses?"

She does explain that love is the key component for dealing with differences and conflict, but this chapter went on way too long and was too jarring (especially considering her pride in having adopted two children who were clearly of different ancestry . . . who according to her, should only be allowed to marry men of similar skin color to them?)

There were many places throughout the book where I silently cheered her for sharing her faith and trust in Jesus so boldly! (She died in 2001 at age 88.) There were many great lessons in her life story about relying on the Lord and boldly sharing his love.

 "I have also learned that Satan loves nothing better than a chance to split every Christian fellowship on the face of the earth; he loves to divide and conquer, and we should think twice before helping him do that."

Amen! Unity, love, and faith. The threads of her story are strongly woven.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963

by Christopher Paul Curtis
Scott County Library audiobook 4 CDs
read by Levar Burton
genre: YA historical fiction

I'm kind of shocked that I don't have an entry for this book already in my blog. I just checked and I started blogging about books in 2007. That means I read this well over a decade ago!

I didn't realize until I started typing this entry that the vocal work was by Levar Burton. I love him! He did an excellent job, of course.

I was struck by the first part of the story not being quite as funny as I had remembered it. (Kenny's brother Byron scraping the ice off the car was as I remembered, though.) I felt much more sadness this time around, especially the last part in Birmingham.

The TruTone record player in the car - this blows me away! What a weird concept - to have a record player in a car!

*** SPOILERS AHEAD! STOP READING HERE IF YOU'VE NOT READ THE BOOK.

The humor mixed with the seriousness really shifted for me when Kenny went into the pond and the "Wool Pooh" (whirlpool) got him. I wasn't surprised that Byron came to the rescue, but I had forgotten many of the details of the scene (and the fact that they didn't tell anyone what happened).

The bombing scene and Kenny's subsequent withdrawl were so sad! Hiding behind the couch, not interacting with anyone, . . . made the scene when Byron got him into the bathroom to look in the mirror all the more poignant. "How's it fair?" Indeed, there was nothing fair for the children who died in Sunday school that morning.

Christopher Paul Curtis is an amazing author and this is one of my favorite middle school historical fiction books. It is funny, sad, and realistic.

Lady Jayne Disappears

by Joanna Davidson Politano
Hennepin County Library paperback 395 pages
genre: Christian historical fiction

I read our monthly book club title two weeks before discussion! I can't believe I've been unfinished the last two months.

The first third of this book seemed a bit too trite and formulaic to me. This is a debut novel, so I didn't get too hung up on it. But then it actually caught my curiosity and had a few surprises in store. I'm eager to read her next book, which will be out this summer.

Aurelie Harcourt is a sweet twenty-something who has lived her entire life in debtor's prison with her father. She loves the Lord and is a kind person who ministers to others. When her father dies, she goes to live with her father's wealthy family.

Some questions I had as I read (which were mostly resolved):
Why didn't her father use the royalties from his writing to get them out of debtor's prison?
How could he raise a child for two decades in a prison?!? (And why?)
What is the deal with Lady Jayne and why won't anyone talk about her?
Does Glenna know about her husband's past?

There were more, but I don't remember them all. I liked the mysteries woven into the story. I started suspecting things around every corner. Many twists that I anticipated didn't happen! Finding out the truth about Kendrick surprised me.

Page 76 - "It's always a choice, Aura Rose. Happiness is always a choice." Her father's wise words came back to me. I love right before this, when she recalled Scripture that helped strengthen her!

Page 120 - ". . . he would set about righting the lies she believed about herself and her worth. How great was God to use husbands so often in that task." I often praise God for letting me experience overwhelming love via Louie! It's wonderful to think that the Lord loves me even more than my spouse does! I am so blessed.

Page 322 - "Standing in place, I bowed my head and wordlessly connected my soul to God. I remained in this posture, submissive and trusting, breathing slowly. Peace did not come. Instead, I felt an energy firing through my chest, compelling me to move, to act. Go. Go find her." I think Aurelie is one of the absolute best faith-filled heroines in the stories we've ever read! And her cousin Juliette . . . a great counterpoint.

Page 348 - I liked the carriage scene between Aunt Eudora and Aurelie. It was beautiful.

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

by Cheryl Strayed
Scott County Library audiobook 11CDs
read by Bernadette Dunne
genre: memoir

I only knew about this story because of the movie with Reese Witherspoon. I'm still undecided about my reaction to it . . . Here are some of my car jottings:

• not believing in God, not wanting mercy, etc. pretty adamant
• losing mom . . . cancer and logic, mother love
• her theology is so messed up!
• grief / after mom's death, dreams of killing her . . . morbid
• Ugh! Sleeping around as a "healing process"?!?!
• lifestyle choices . . . sex, heroin, etc.
• Ugh! "Abortion - no question." How does she live with herself?
• unleaded gas instead of white gas in a cook stove!
• I like Albert - "50-something Christian from Georgia - Eagle Scout"
• PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) / Sierra Nevada . . . I'm curious to learn more!
• "Monster" - her huge, heavy backpack
• horse Lady / Eddie agreeing to put her down / Cheryl finding her emaciated and shivering on Christmas Eve. This scene was so horrible! I'm not a huge horse lover, but this was hard to listen to!
• She is a very talented writer! I love how she wove her back story into the trail experience. It was very natural and not "flashback" seeming.
• REI boots, Snapple . . . I wonder if she got any attention or appreciation from them after this book was published!
• I loved the llama, the old woman, and Kyle! What a delightful scene.
• It was published in 2012, but she walked the trail in the 1990s. I was shocked at how little she paid for things, even twenty some years ago.

I asked a friend if she had read the book. No, but she *loved* the movie! I may need to see it . . . 

The Outsiders

by S.E. Hinton
personal copy, paperback 156 pages
genre: YA realistic fiction

I knew I was "teaching" this for seventh grade language arts and wanted to be prepared. I hadn't read this in about (or over?) thirty years! It was a much quicker read than I remembered. And for some reason, I thought that either Ponyboy or Sodapop died in the story . . . so clearly I needed to re-read it to actually remember the story correctly.

It wasn't as well-written as I remembered it to be, but I went online to check the veracity of a tag on my copy: "a revealing novel about teenagers - by a teenager." I knew that Susan Hinton published as "S.E." because of her gender and publishers' belief that boys wouldn't write a book by a girl. But I didn't know that she was only 15 when she wrote it and 17 when it was published! That's amazing!

Even though it was written several decades ago, the story still seems to resonate for teenagers. Interesting.

The Mark of the Golden Dragon

by L.A. Meyer
Scott County Library hardcover 378 pages
genre: YA historical adventure fiction

Another Jacky Faber book. This one was a bit more enjoyable than the last few. She is trying to clear her name and Jaime's name. He thinks she is dead and goes off the rails, becoming the Black Highwayman and getting revenge on the two men who he thinks responsible for Jacky's "death." She makes more amazing alliances and deals. I think it's good that this book was shorter and more focused.

Until We Find Home

by Cathy Gohlke
Hennepin County Library hardcover 3 or 4 hundred pages
genre: Historical Christian fiction

This was a book club book that I didn't finish before discussion. Set in World War II, Claire is a super romantic (and pretty immature) American living in Paris. Part of the underground resistance, she helps five Jewish children escape. But when her "love" doesn't show up, she crosses to England with the children. Ending up at her aunt's home in the lakes country, there is intrigue, danger, romance, etc.

I liked the literary threads (neighbor Mrs. Heelis, aka Beatrix Potter; the Secret Garden; C. S. Lewis; etc.) I also liked little Gaston - he was a firecracker!

But the story was pretty lightweight. I didn't even mind the discussion and its inevitable "spoilers" because I just didn't care that much. It was fine but not a re-read or "must" recommend book.

Obama: An Intimate Portrait

by Pete Souza
Hennepin County Library hardcover 346 pages
genre: photojournalism, presidential history

I almost bought this at Costco for $30 but waited on the list at the library for over two months instead! I love Souza's work and the way he captured many of the moments and moods in President Obama's White House. This is a lovely book and it made me appreciate Obama's personality and leadership even more than I did before looking at it. I think he is a kind, thoughtful, intelligent, caring human being with a fun sense of humor.

Souza took millions of photographs over the eight years of the Obama WH! (Literally, millions.) I don't know how he decided on these, but it's a wonderful book.

Playing for Pizza

by John Grisham
Scott County Library audiobook 6 CDs
read by Christopher Evan Welch
genre: realistic fiction

A friend recommended this to me. I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped, but haven't read a lot of Grisham and may need to see if this is typical for him.

Rick Dockery is a much-maligned NFL quarterback who has had one concussion too many. At the story's outset, he is thoroughly dislikable! Arrogant, selfish, brash womanizer . . . pretty typical portrayal of a handsome pro athlete. Even when he ends up in Italy to play for Parma's football team (American football, not soccer), he is a jerk.

But over the course of the story, Rick changes. It is gradual and it is pleasant, but I found myself cheering for him.

Even more than the human characters, the town of Parma, the food, the Italians beckoned. I wanted to book a trip! That reminded me of seeing "Under the Tuscan Sun." Hated the movie, but wanted to travel there!

Enjoyable story. The ending fell flat for me, but it was minor. Rick's story arc and the Parma football season were the important parts.

Witness in Philadelphia

by Florence Mars, with the assistance of Lynn Eden
Hennepin County Library hardcover, 281 pages
genre: non-fiction history, Civil Rights

I had a piece of paper with three titles on it - Mississippi Burning (a DVD), Murder in Mississippi (an account of the court case), and this one which is a personal eyewitness to the events of 1964.

I was intrigued by the thought of a white woman in Mississippi sharing her perspective of the murder in 1964 of three civil rights workers (James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner). A previous book I had read about the three young men dealt with the horrific murder, cover-up, and publicity (noting that had two of the men not been white, no one would know about it).

Sigh. This was interesting but also depressing. First, it is definitely a product of its time and place. Published in 1977 in Louisiana, it certainly retains some of the tone of that era and place. The preface has two quotes on it:
"Outsiders who come in here and try to stir up trouble should be dealt with in a manner they won't forget." (Neshoba Democrat, April 9, 1964)
"To understand Neshoba County, you have to live here a hundred years." (common saying)

Though Florence Mars is sympathetic to the "Negroes" who are treated so horribly in her home community and she also is persecuted by the KKK for her outspokenness, she still seems quite sympathetic to the majority of the white residents of Neshoba county and the culture shock they experienced in the 1960s. The sentiment that white people had "treated them" (African Americans) so well and it just wasn't appreciated . . . well, please! I just can't stomach it.

The other aspect of the book that truly distressed me is that the men of the KKK identify themselves as Christians! What?!?!?! What Scriptures are they reading? How does brutalizing people, denigrating them, and murdering them fit with what Jesus taught?!?! Ugh!

Since I've never been a great student of history, I think it's important to read a lot of perspectives. In that sense, this was a worthwhile book with lots for me to think about. (And I am so very grateful for all the people who have fought for equal rights in the past and continue to strive for justice today!)

Page 170 - When the police were beating Bud and his wife Beatrice was praying for his life to be spared . . . I got chills. I love that her faith and prayer were answered! (Though I wish they'd never been in a life-or-death situation just for being black and driving down a road . . . )

Page 205 - Pastor Clay was one of my favorite people in this book! His sermons and stances made a difference. "Whatever else the cross means - above everything it is God's way of saying to us, 'You can break my bones, you can drain my blood, you can crush my body, but you cannot stop me from being what I am: the Heavenly Father who loves you and cares for you.'"



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A Trick of the Light

by Louise Penny
Scott County Library audiobook 9 CDs
read by Ralph Cosham
genre: murder mystery

This is another Inspector Gamache / Three Pines mystery. There are things I love about this series and things that bug me. I honestly liked the very first one I "read" the best of all so far! (Book 5 - Bury Your Dead).

This one had an interesting theme of marriage and couples (and separations). Enid and Jean-Guy are separated. Jean-Guy is in love with Annie (Gamache) and finds out that she and her husband David are going to separate. Armand and Rene-Marie. Peter and Clara Morrow. The husband and wife artist team who were snarky at Clara's show. Inspector Brunelle and her husband Jerome.


There's also the ongoing use of poetry throughout her books. Ruth's poems, but also ones that Gamache's dad recited to him and that he recited to his own children.

I laughed at someone being referred to as an "emotional vampire" even though I don't remember which character this was about. The dead woman, probably. Lilian.

I also laughed at Beauvoir lying about his identification as an art critic for Le Monde while at the vernissage with all the snooty art world people! Funny! (I intuited what a "vernissage" was from context clues, but had to look it up just now to learn how to spell it! Blogger says it's wrong . . . I'm pretty sure it's just French. )

Ugh! I did not like the references to Clara's painting of the Virgin Mary / Ruth as "an angry old woman, forgotten, bitter . . . " Scripture clearly indicates that Jesus asked John to take care of his mother. The "irreligious" aspect of her books bothers me, as does some of the overly dramatic writing and responses of characters we know (to the point where their thoughts or words seem out of character!) Yet I continue to read her books!

Serenity Prayer / AA / Courage to Change . . . Not sure why I made note of this. It was interesting, if a bit skewed in tone (to the negative, I thought).

I liked the conversation that Beauvoir and Gamache had in the car, but was surprised by the end of the book at how much more talking they still need to do to work through some issues! I guess I'll have to keep reading the series.

Chiaroscuro, schadenfreude . . . dude! This almost made me feel illiterate! Good thing I love words so much!

"Do people change?" This was a key question in the case and in this story. I didn't love how she handled the answer, but that's me reading my perspective into the story again!

Ugh again. Psychology. Jean Guy watching the video on mega-repeat. Thinking that Gamache "left him to die." Taking more painkillers than he should and lying about it. Time to order the next book in the series.

Shadows (book two of the Ashes Trilogy)

by Ilsa J. Bick
Scott County Library paperback 518 pages
genre: YA dystopian fiction

Ugh! I "had" to read this book to see where the story arc goes / what happens to the characters. We still don't know what happened to Ellie (though there's a hint at the very end!), but we get to follow Alex's and Tom's paths. We also follow Chris, Nathan, Lena, and a LOT of other characters . . . to the point of confusion. I'd come to a new chapter and scan ahead to see which person's story we were following. And yet . . . I'll go get book three so I can get to the trilogy's resolution.

I'm not sure why so many authors feel a need to express their perspective on Christianity when that is not a theme of the book at all. On page 506, the absolutely crazy Finn says, "Every man breaks, eventually . . . even Jesus cracked at the end. But that wasn't because of what was being done to him. His pressure was doubt and came from within, but he always had a choice." As Finn is trying to find Peter's breaking point and torturing him, he makes a parallel with Jesus on the cross and says that doubt is what Jesus struggled with and made him "crack"? Really?!  Everyone is entitled to their own interpretation of Scripture, but why even make a statement like this? Okay, probably just my pet peeve because I love Jesus and I believe in God's Word.

The other insane thing about my reading this series is that it is not just dark (hello - dystopian fiction) but downright gory and gruesome. The "Changed" are teenagers and young adults who have become cannibalistic zombie-like monsters . . . except now they're "evolving" into attackers who use weapons and strategy. The gross factor in this book was sky-high. It's worse than some of the zombie books I've read. So that made it especially strange when the author included this gem about Cindi on page 516 after Tom talks about the nightmare of what he experienced in combat: "She tried to imagine what that was like, to watch a little girl just blow apart. Her mother had never let her watch movies or play computer games like that. What made people think that killing, even when it was pretend, was something you should do for fun?" Is this author trying to be funny? Or add some kind of moral lesson in an extremely violent, bloody story?


And yet . . . I will read book three to find out what happens to the main characters. (I am curious about Ellie and I am a compulsive reader!)

Salt: A World History

by Mark Kurlansky
Hennepin County Library paperback 452 pages plus bibliography and index
genre: non-fiction, history

I don't remember where I saw the reviews for this book, but it sounded fantastic. I'm on page 130 and not sure I can force myself to keep reading it. Parts of it are interesting, but it seems too academic and dry. I loved The Disappearing Spoon about the periodic table! I expected something like that - interesting and informative.

As much as I love eating salt, my favorite part of this book is on the back blurb. "Salt - the only rock we eat - has made a glittering, often surprising contribution to the history of humankind."

The photographs, maps, recipes, and illustrations add to the text, but I think I'll return it to the library without finishing it.

Part One: A Discourse on Salt, Cadavers, and Pungent Sauces
Part Two: The Glow of Herring and the Scent of Conquest
Part Three: Sodium's Perfect Marriage

Some of the chapter titles (twenty-six in all) are very clever, but the text is just not compelling enough for me to want to invest more time in this book.

Murder in Mesopotamia

by Agatha Christie
Scott County Library audiobook 2 CDs
a BBC 4 full-cast dramatization
genre: murder mystery fiction

This was delightful! I was taken aback at first that it was all dialog and sound effects with virtually no narration at all . . . except a very little diary-like communication from the nurse. Having read plenty of other Christie books, I can tell there is a LOT of abridged content (which of course makes me want to read the original book). Especially since a lot of what Poirot reveals in the clincher scene is stuff we've not even had a hint about!

"Just as Amy Leatheran is about to return to England, she is hired by the celebrated archaeologist Dr. Leidner to work as nurse and companion for his wife - who is subject to fits of nervous terrors. As they travel to an ancient site deep in the Iraqi desert, Amy finds herself in a situation much stranger than she could ever have imagined. . . " I guessed the wrong killer (of course) but loved how the story and cast of characters played out the tale.

I loved the tiny twist at the end! When Nurse Leatheran and Monsieur Poirot are saying goodbye, he says he's going to get some rest and travel on a sleeper car on the Orient Express.