If you are looking for an epic story to read this is it. On Agate Hill is a drama that spans much of the life of the Molly, the main character. The Civil War changes the circumstances of her life, as does losing family members, going to boarding school, and marrying for love.
Molly is a very independent, circumspect girl. She grows quite wild, raising herself on the once grand estate of Agate Hill. Her life has been full of loss. Her father died in the war, and her mother and siblings soon after. She lives how she pleases until death takes her uncle and she is forced into going to a private boarding school. At the conclusion of her years at school, she takes up residence in close-knit community in the Appalachian mountains as a school teacher. While there she falls in love and marries, something she swore she'd never do. She has several happy years before things all of the sudden come crashing down on her. And then, coming full circle she goes back "home" to Agate Hill.
I can't say that this was my favorite book. It was a nice story, but that was all that it was. It lacked real literary substance. In a lot of ways it reminded me of a Belva Plain novel, following one character through the triumphs and tragedies of life.
My Rating
Overall: 3 stars
Objectionable Content: Again, this book is kind of like a Belva Plain novel, there is some sexual content.
Book Review: On Agate Hill by Lee Smith
Book Review: Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris
I just finished reading this book about five minutes ago. So while it is fresh in my mind, I will be able to remember all of the details, but I have not given myself time to really ruminate on it much. I do think that it will be a book that will stay with me for a while though.
Five Quarters of the Orange is written by Joanne Harris, who you may recognize by her other popular book, Chocolat. The book is told by an old French woman who returns to the village of her childhood. She has inherited her mother's old scrapbook that is full of recipes, memories, and secrets. As Framboise rebuilds the old farmhouse and starts a little restaurant, she recounts her past. She lived in the farmhouse during the German occupation of WWII. She was nine at the time, but remembers quite clearly the events that led up to her family having to leave the village in disgrace.
I was easily pulled into this story. The characters were well thought out and the storytelling was marvelous. I loved all of the mention of food, even though I'm not familiar with French cuisine. Beware when reading this book. It merrily floats along, keeping you interested the whole time, but it does turn a bit dark. It is a book about family struggles during war, so some of it is not pretty.
My Rating
Overall: 4.5 stars
Objectionable Content: Adult themes, and a fair amount of swearing.
Book Review: Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas
Anyone else a Sandra Dallas fan? I've loved her books since I first read The Persian Pickle Club about 10 years ago. I can't say that I loved Buster Midnight's Cafe, and I haven't read her newest one yet (Prayers for Sale), but I thought that Tallgrass was one of her better novels.
The setting for Tallgrass is very important for the plot of this suspenseful tale. It is set in a small sugar beet farming community in Colorado in the early 1940's. The story opens with Rennie, a smart yet naive, thirteen year old girl at the train station as she is watching a large group of Japanese Americans who have just arrived. They are being hauled off to an internment camp (Tallgrass) that is just down the road from her home. Many of the townspeople are in an uproar over having to live so close to the "enemy." So, befriending some the Japanese Americans during this time of war is very unpopular and creates problems for Rennie and her family.
This book is based on what might have taken place in a small town that was so closely tied to an interment camp. It explores the feelings of the time. To keep the book from being boring, the author injected a little murder mystery into the thick of things. I think this was an excellent addition, since it stirred things up a bit more. The townspeople definitely took sides, and from this a lot of conflict arose. It was a good look into the not too distant past.
My Rating
Overall: 4 stars
Objectionable Content: Adult themes. Really a pretty clean book.
Book Review: The World to Come by Dara Horn
I've got to tell you that I'm a sucker for novels that fictionalize the story of well known artists, writers, musicians, etc. I loved The Girl with the Pearl Earring and The Girl in Hyacinth Blue. So, I was drawn to this book, since it revolves around one of the paintings of Marc Chagall.
The World to Come opens with the main character stealing a Marc Chagall painting from a museum. It continues with this story, but jumps to many other characters' stories and soon you understand that these peoples' lives are all intertwined. They all play an important role in how this painting came to be where it is. The history of this painting is all very interesting, as are the many Yiddish folktales that the author has sprinkled throughout the book. These give some depth to the book, but also are great asides in themselves.
I thought that the book was very imaginative and random. Some may think that it might be better if the author didn't go off on so many tangents, but I really liked this. I thought the last chapter was brilliant, and I would read it again just for the ending. I know it has been compared to The History of Love, but I didn't feel like there was much to compare. I loved both of these books for different reasons.
I think this might make a good read for a book group, if your group is a little bit artsy. It was really very clean and had many subjects that could be discussed (a big one being where we came from and where we go after this life).
My Rating
Overall: 4.5 stars. I loved the stories. I loved the author's imagination. I would give it 5 stars for sure if I had felt a little bit closer to the characters.
Objectionable Content: There were a handful of swear words throughout the book.
Book Review: The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker
Curiosity made me pick up this book. It's about a giant. Besides that, it has so many elements that I enjoy in a book. It has bits and pieces about herbs, magic, and quilts.
The story outlines the life of Truly, a girl who starts out big at birth, and continues to grow at an astronomical rate. She struggles to find herself amid all of the loss that seems to be her lot in life. Her life is not the one that she would have imagined for herself. She is stuck in a life that is humiliating, serving an undeserving relative. The tables do eventually turn for Truly, and she is finally free to live and make decisions for herself.
I felt that this book started out strong and lost a bit of it's momentum. The story is compelling, but too much of it is told in the preface. It is one of those books that does make you think about medical ethics. Is there really only black and white, or does the line sometimes blur and you just follow your heart? It would probably make a pretty good pick for a book club read.
My Rating
Overall: 4 stars. I would probably give it five stars if the story had not lagged.
Objectionable content: There is a part where a character has premarital sex, and there is also some details about a character who is homosexual.
Should I finish the book?
Lately, I can't bring myself to spend much time on a book that just isn't doing it for me. So, what do you do when you are half way through a book and decide that you are not enjoying it? I hate giving up on a book when it seems like it should be good, or will maybe take a turn for the better. I'm having this dilemma right now with this book:
Should I continue on? Has anyone read it? I know it's supposed to be good. I've read the other two books by this author, The Christmas Jar, and The Wednesday Letters. They were both nice stories. I just can't stand how the main character in this book is so apathetic to his whole situation.
Book Review: So B. It by Sarah Weeks
Sometimes I judge a book by it's cover. This time I was intrigued by the title. When I picked up this book and skimmed the first couple of lines I knew I'd have to read it.
So B. It is a young adult book that although short and simple, has a lot of meaning. It is essentially about twelve year old Heidi who decides that she must uncover the truth about herself. Her life is not the average life of a young girl. She lives with her mentally disabled mother and is being raised by her agoraphobic neighbor. Communication with her mother is limited at best (her mother only has a vocabulary of 23 words), so she doesn't know where she came from or who she is. She shows great courage and determination as she sets out on her quest to solve the mystery of her identity.
I definitely would recommend this book. I was hooked from the first couple of pages. The story was wonderful and the writing style was fun. If you are looking for a quick read that won't disappoint I'd give this one a try.
My Rating
Overall: 5 stars. I thought this book was well done.
Objectionable Content: There is a question of Heidi's parentage, so maybe a more mature theme, but nothing objectionable.
What I Have Been Reading (or not reading)
I have to say that I have been in a reading slump lately. It happens every once in a while, usually when I get back into knitting/crocheting, baking, crafting, couponing, or family history. The distraction this time is family history. I guess I shouldn't call it a distraction, but I tend to let it take over all my free time.
So, not much reading besides this book: Kulms on Two Continents by June Brown. It is an amazing book of biographies and family history. I can't even imagine the time that went into the research for this book. Right now I am so caught up in some of the lives of my ancestors, I feel like I know them.
A Little Secret
Growing up I can remember coming home from school and vegging in front of the TV. I needed that time to just unwind and relax. This was in the 80's mind you. So think back, what reruns were on everyday that a child would watch? Little House on the Prairie of course. I know I've watched every episode a dozen times each. I got to the point where I could tell by the opening music which episode it was (before the title of the episode appeared). This way I could tell if it was going to be one of those really sad ones that I just couldn't watch again. I remember especially loving the ones with Nellie Olsen, when she was so mean and nasty, but always got what she deserved in the end.
Anyway, my little secret that I'm about to share with you is that up until now I have never read the Little House series. Can you believe that? I hate to admit it, but I never thought I needed to read them since I had seen the show. The truth is that I don't think that I would have appreciated them as much back then as I do now. They are simple, but refreshing in that they are so ordinary. And what was once so ordinary, is not so common now, so they are very educational. If you have never read this series, I have to tell you that you may be surprised. I highly recommend them!
Book Review: Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
Esperanza is a thirteen year old girl who has been living a very privileged life in Mexico. It is during the 1930's. Her father is a wealthy land owner and she is loved and adored by everyone around her. Then, life suddenly takes a turn when her father dies and her greedy uncles take over the land. She and her mother are forced to flee, leaving everything they know behind.
Esperanza Rising is a very thought provoking book about the plight of those seeking seasonal employment on the big farms in California during the Great Depression. Esperanza learns the value of hard work and after a while overcomes her selfish ways. She learns what things are really important, along with many other valuable life lessons. It really is a book with some substance to it.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone. I was not bored in reading it, even though it was written for children. I think that I will include it on my list of 'read aloud books to my kids' for the summer.
My Rating
Overall: 5 stars. I thought is was a lovely well written book.
Objectionable Content: none
Book Review: Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas
Well, this book review has been a long time in coming. I've wanted to finish this book for a while, but, you know life sometimes gets in the way.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this in depth biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The title of this book to be exact is is Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Prophet, Martyr, Spy. If you don't already know about Bonhoeffer, then like me, the title alone is intriguing.
Bonhoeffer, born to a wealthy, influential German family in 1906, lived a very privileged, idyllic life. His father was a well-known psychiatrist, and his mother was educated and from a respected, titled family. He grew up in a household that valued study and education. He excelled at anything he set his mind to and became a gifted musician. He really could have chosen any field of study, but at the age of fourteen felt that he had been called to the ministry. This seemed to have perplexed both of his parents, since neither one (especially his father) had ever been religious.
After Dietrich Bonhoeffer finished his studies, he traveled extensively. He was able to observe many different Christian congregations this way, and he made mental notes as to what he believed each had to offer. He soon led his own parish, giving not only highly academic sermons on Sundays, but showing that he was a devoted pastor who gave to children and those in need. He had faith, and believed that God spoke to him. He was a brilliant teacher and loved to teach others to meditate on the scriptures.
At this time, Germany was being changed drastically by Adolf Hitler. Bonhoeffer could see the writing on the wall and decided to act. He was instrumental in forming the Confessing Church which broke away from the German church. Then later, when Germany declared war, he became a member of the resistance.
While reading this book, I was constantly amazed at the sincerity and faith of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He did not waver or stray in his beliefs. He truly was a force for good, a real hero. It has been one of those books that I feel like I am a better person for having read it.
My Rating
Overall: 5 stars for sure! This book was inspiring, informative, and just a great read. The writing style was not boring at all, but actually humorous at times.
Objectional Content: none
Joy in the journey
I've been thinking a lot about happiness lately. Each day brings something new, and it is not always something pleasant. As a mother I've learned to just take it one day at a time, then when things are rough it doesn't seem so overwhelming. Of course I still need to be reminded of this from time to time (like when kids are sick, potty training, and around the clock care of a newborn - just to name a few).
There are plenty of good times. Those are fun and happy. I feel truly happy when my children accomplish something. I love when my family is all working together and everyone is getting along. I always make a mental note to remember the few perfect moments in life. These are so very few and far between that they are easy to miss unless you are looking for them.
I believe that most people believe that happiness is a result or an end product. I suppose that it can be to some degree, but I like to try to be content or find joy in the journey. I think happiness or joy is found in the process of living. It is in the little things. It is found by being grateful and patient.
You might be wondering what my rambling about finding joy in the journey has to do with reading. Well, I think that as I read I get enveloped into the story and start to really live and breathe the details. I enjoy the escape into another "world" that I find through reading. And then I find that when I finish a book I usually feel let down a bit, because I don't want it to end (that's why I love sequels). It is being in the middle of the book that I love, I know the characters and still have plenty of pages left. I find joy in the journey of reading a book.
Project Gutenberg
I just recently became aware of a website that offers over 30,000 e-books that are totally free to download. It is www.gutenberg.org. How cool is that? It looks like most of these books are "vintage" or at least old enough that the copyright has expired. So, if it's a classic that you want to read this would be the place to find it.
Another great place to download free e-books is at www.goodreads.com.
Slow Progress
I love the book that I'm reading right now, but it's taking me forever to read it. It's a biography called Bonhoeffer Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy A Righteous Gentile vs. The Third Reich by Eric Metaxas. I am finding it fascinating to read about what went on in Germany when Hitler came to power. So much of what happened then is unmistakably happening again, this time in our own country. I will definitely post my review of this book as soon as I finish.
I would love to hear what you are reading now. Have you read any books about Nazi Germany that really stand out in your mind? I can think of two that I will probably always remember: The Hiding Place and The Nazi Officer's Wife: How One Jewish Woman Survived the Holocaust.
Book Review: The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
What a great book. If you are a fan of the gothic romance/mystery type of book (like Rebecca, and The Thirteenth Tale), you will love this novel. It really isn't very dark, or ghost filled, but it is strangely enigmatic.
The basic plot of The Forgotten Garden goes like this: A woman tries to find out her own true identity after learning that she was found as a 4 year old by her "parents." She had been left on the dock of a small port town in Australia, with only a small white suitcase that held a few odd contents. She is in her sixties when she finally tracks down information that leads her to her "home" in England. Circumstances prevent her from uncovering all of the mystery, so it is not until years later when her grandaughter is curious about it all that the details start to fall into place.
The plot summary really doesn't do the book justice. It was very well written. Kate Morton is one of those truly gifted storytellers. She is able to tell the story in such a way that you are hungry to read more. It was suspenseful and fun too. I also enjoyed getting to know all of the characters. They all had very distinct personalities. It is one of those books that seem very familiar (think the Secret Garden). At first this bothered me, but the author creatively remedied this before I ended up thinking that she was just a copycat.
My Rating
Overall: 4.5 stars. I loved the book, I would probably give it 5 stars if I thought that it was all truly original.
Objectionable Content: Well, I don't want to spoil the story, but let's just say that there is some immoral behavior.
Thoughts on Easter
I'm really not very good at expressing my true thoughts on how blessed I feel this Easter. I do know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that He suffered and atoned for my sins. He was crucified, yet He conquered death and returned to earth as a resurrected being. I know that He lives and loves me.
I hope those of you reading this know that I don't mean to be irreverent in sharing this passage from The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. I just think it has profound meaning and helps me realize that I should never take the meaning of Easter for granted.
My Dear Wormwood,
Now I am obliged to write to you about the most uncomfortable subject. At all costs I would wish to avoid even the mention of this matter but it must be broached. I am referring to the Christian holiday known as Easter. As you know it is the celebration of the day when our Enemy above slew death. Oh, what a shock it was to us all that day. I can remember so vividly my reaction the moment it happened! What screams of rage and anger were heard everywhere in our Kingdom Below. How totally helpless we felt at that moment. We were outmaneuvered. Never in a million years could we have imagined that the Enemy would really love those pitiful humans enough to go through with it. He actually died a terrible death to keep them out of our clutches. Why should they be of such worth to Him? We could not understand. But I am getting ahead of myself. Let me take you back to the beginning.
Before the Enemy created these human beings, our Father below was well on his way to becoming Ruler of the Universe. The Christian’s Bible says somewhere that our father was thrown out of heaven by the Enemy, but don’t you believe it. Heaven had gotten too small for him. He decided to go on to bigger and better things. And he wasn’t about to let the Enemy tell him what to do anymore. Our father below knew much better how things should be.
About a third of us went with him. We wanted to better ourselves. We were going with a winner.
Then the Enemy brought into being these human creatures. That was a blow, I’ll tell you. They walked in perfect harmony with him. They did whatever He said. They were completely on His side. All they wanted was to please Him. They lived in this beautiful garden and were perfectly happy. Ugh!!! We could see the handwriting on the wall. Pretty soon the whole earth would be full of them.
But our father below devised a plan. He disguised himself and snuck into their garden one day. In his clever way he convinced them that there was something better than pleasing the Enemy. They could become their own god. They could be in charge, be the boss of their own life. “Why obey him? There is so much more to life than that. It is so foolish to let the Enemy be your God, he told them. Think what you will miss if you stay with Him. I will give you a higher wisdom”, he promised.
(Have you noticed that our father below is still using this approach very effectively today? Those humans are so impressed with their own wisdom now. You can get them to believe almost anything. They will absolutely destroy themselves now rather than accept the authority of the Enemy above. They are such a stupid bunch of mortals.)
Anyway, as I was saying, our father below convinced them to disobey their Creator. He told them, “go ahead and do it, you will not die.” (a little lie there, he’s an expert at that all right.) He knew that is exactly what would happen. And then those feeble earthlings would be in our clutches.
They disobey their Creator, rebel against him, and then they become ours. Their Creator can’t keep them because He can’t have in His presence anyone that isn’t pure and holy. He is so narrow. He insists on only what is good. That doesn’t leave any room for all the bad out there.
Well, the humans fell for it. They got suckered into our camp. And immediately they started to die.
And ever since, death has been our great ally. Do you know how many millions we bring into Hell every year through death? It is one of our few pleasures. How delicious to see them suffer! They feel such loss and pain when their loved ones die. Death was the great triumph of our father below.
I say “was” because the Enemy changed all that.
The first thing he did was to lower himself and be born as one of “them.” We almost got him killed when he was a baby. But he eluded us then. He grew up to be a man. He taught those poor humans about himself, all the while not really spreading around who he was. Then one day he gave himself up to be killed by a bunch of jealous religious leaders. We figured it was a big bluff. Just an excuse to perform a public miracle and escape at the last minute. But he actually went through with it. He let them nail him to a cross and he died. We all thought, “Aha, you’re beaten now! You’ve just made your big mistake!”
All of us were feeling, for a few hours, a big relief from that constant fear we had always felt toward the Enemy. Maybe all those prophecies about our last judgment would never happen after all. Death had claimed the Creator of life. Finally our Lord Satan would be undisputed ruler of all.
Then Sunday morning came. The Enemy reappeared. Suddenly, he was alive. Death could not hold him. But it was even worse than that. He had become an innocent sacrifice for the sins of all those humans. He had paid their penalty. He had died in their place. Now death could not hold them either. They could be forgiven and reunited with the Enemy. They can now live forever. For all practical purposes, death has died. There has never been a more disastrous day in the history of the universe.
That, my dear Wormwood, is the whole sad truth.
There is only one thing we can do. We must redouble our efforts. We must do everything we can to make sure that these humans do not believe in Jesus. And if they do believe then make them lukewarm and too busy with other things to be of any use to him.
We have some reason to hope. Much of the media help us. And there is such a climate of pleasure-seeking and materialism that often the Christians aren’t any different from anybody else. Many Christians are uncommitted. Some are hypocrites. And we have got many sincere people convinced they are so guilty that they have no hope. Others are bitter and have closed their ears to the message of the Resurrection. Others are just self-satisfied and only care about now.
We have laid some very good groundwork intellectually. Many educated people have been kept from considering both sides and are firmly convinced that there is no intellectual basis for believing in Jesus. They don’t know what we know and we are not about to tell them. Many of these people are even convinced that we don’t exist! That’s very good! In closing, I will just say, Fight on, Wormwood. I fear we will lose in the end, but let us take as many of them with us as we can. Their willful, selfish part of them gives us much fertile ground to cultivate. We may have lost the war, but let’s go out and win some battles for our father below.
Your Uncle,
Screwtape
Book Review: The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
I think that this was the very first book that my book club read, but I seemed to have missed it somehow. I can now check it off of my to read list. It is a juvenile book that was given the Newberry Medal in 1979, so it could be considered a children's classic.
I thought it was a fun little read. It is a whodunit murder mystery that lets the reader put all of the clues together and guess who the murderer might be. There are sixteen would be heirs and 220 million dollars at stake. There are bombings, and dead bodies, and poisoning? I know this doesn't seem like it would be suitable for children, but really it is very tame. It's just fun. It would be a great book for a child who is ready for something a little more involved than a Cam Jensen or a Nancy Drew book.
I guess my only critism would be that the middle was a bit slow. I thought that I had it all figured out by then and was just waiting for the end to see if I was right.
My Rating
Overall: 3 stars. A child would probably give it a higher rating though.
Objectionable Content: none
Book Review: Riding the Bus With My Sister by Rachel Simon
I don't really know where to start with this book. It was a story of two sisters, but it was also many other things. I almost felt like I should get out pencil and paper and take notes as I was reading.
Riding the Bus With My Sister is a true story, written by the older sister (Rachel) in order to understand her younger, mentally retarded sister (Beth). Rachel agrees to accompany her sister on her bus routes as often as she can for a year. Beth lives on her own and gets along just fine. She has decided that she does not want to work, instead she rides city buses day in, day out. In doing this, she has created a world for herself that she is in control of. Rachel learns about her sister and life in general as she embarks on this journey.
Rachel has a chance to meet all of the people who mean the most to Beth including her boyfriend, her support team, and most importantly the bus drivers. These drivers seem like average, everyday people, but they each have a gift (their time and kindness) that they are more than willing to share.
I was drawn into this book by how candid Rachel seemed to be about her feelings toward her sister. I was able to get a feel for how it might be to grow up with a sibling that has a disability. I also was intrigued by all of the different philosophies of life that there seem to be, as presented by the bus drivers. I guess driving a bus isn't just about driving a bus. I could go on and on about this book. There are a lot of issues that could be discussed, such as medical and social ethics, familial relationships, stereotypes, etc. It should make for a great book club discussion.
My Rating
Overall: 3.5 stars. It was well written. Those who enjoy memoirs will really like this book.
Objectionable Content: none
Do you crave certain foods because of the books you read?
I don't know about you, but my family can always tell what kind of book I'm reading by what kind of foods I crave. I often read books about China, and when I do, my husband knows this is his chance to stop for take out at Panda Express. Of course when I read The Help, I had to try my hand at making a caramel cake (chocolate pie not so much!). Every once in a while I read a book like The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen, where the whole book is filled with the mention of food (each chapter is named after a different kind of candy). This drives me crazy. I usually get so fixated on whatever food it is that they are eating that I have to have it. I think in this case it was a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich. Am I making you hungry yet? Are you as easily influenced as I am when you read?
