Dizzie Lizzie Can Read

"The Swiss Family Robinson" by Johann Wyss

2011-02-10T23:38:00.001-05:00

Well, the book wasn't really "written" by Johann Wyss. It was written by his father and later edited by his son Johann before publication. But I digress...

I don't quite know how to sum up this book. At times I found it very interesting and enjoyed the family's grit and knowledge that helped them survive on a deserted island. But much of the book included the unnecessary killing of many animals of every sort - in nearly every chapter; their bodies left to rot without being used for life-sustaining food or provision (I am by no means a foe of hunting but it really was ridiculous).

With all that in mind, this was a book written by a father in the 18th century to entertain his four sons. Boys running wild with pistols packed at their sides, coming across all sorts of exotic animals and being able to tame some and hunt others must have been a thrilling read for his sons. While reading this book, I think it is important to keep the author's place in time and his intention to entertain HIS sons, in mind. The plot is slow going, but so are many other books of a coeval nature. The pirates depicted in the Disney movie never showed up; there was no pump organ in the treehouse to sing "O Tannenbaum" by.

I do plan to read this book aloud to my children in the near future. So many animals are described in each chapter that I think it would be fun to keep our animal encyclopedia close at hand to look up pictures of those creatures named in the book. The ingenuity and hard work of the family, including long-lost skills were fascinating to read about (although it seemed that the father especially had some unrealistically fantastic abilities and knowledge about the natural sciences).

I marked one paragraph in the book that summed up the parts I enjoyed about the book: "The more there was to do the better. I never ceased contriving fresh improvements, being fully aware of the importance of constant employment as a means of strengthening and maintaining the health of mind and body. This, indeed, with a consciousness of continual progress toward a desirable end, is found to constitute the main element of happiness."

I have to admit that I enjoyed the Disney movie better than the book (that is a very rare admittance). This is probably due to the fact that I am a product of the 20th and 21st centuries and must have constant adventure/plot development/excitement in what I view and read.

My 5 favorite books read in 2010

2011-01-01T17:23:00.005-05:00

1. New Deal or Raw Deal? How FDR's Economic Legacy has Damaged Ameria by Burton Folsom, Jr.

2. The Real George Washington - National Center for Constitutional Studies (Parry, Allison, Skousen)

3. The Real Thomas Jefferson - National Center for Constitutional Studies (Allison, Maxfield, Cook, Skousen) - I really finished this book at the beginning of 2011.

4. Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Freeman

5. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

"The Birth Order Book: Why You Are the Way You Are" by Dr. Kevin Leman

2010-12-03T23:04:00.002-05:00

This is one of those books that you pick up and read quickly - I skimmed here and there as I went. I found the information interesting, but took much of it with a grain of salt because many of his main points were explained away when exceptions came up. The tone of the book is very entertaining and I appreciate his use of personal experiences, but the personal experiences seemed to take up the bulk of the book.

According to his prescription of an oldest child I fit the mold to the T and found a couple of chapters on perfectionism (a classic trait of first-borns) very helpful. I may pick up another book of his that deals specifically with this problem. Overall I found this book helpful as a mother and was able to take some time to think about my children's personalities and how I react to them as a parent. I'll end by giving it three *** stars.

"Have a New Kid by Friday," by the same author is a book I highly recommend. It deals with using reality (or "authoritative") discipline with children; resulting in children who learn to take responsibility for their actions and develop healthy relationships with their parents. I constantly refer to this book or discuss similar tactics with my husband when disciplining our children.

"Austenland" by Shannon Hale

2010-11-05T14:28:00.005-04:00

Most women who have watched the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice have fallen in love a little (or a lot) with Colin Firth - er, I mean Mr. Darcy. Only yesterday week I selected this DVD set to watch while working on a sewing project; patiently watching disc one but all the while anticipating the moment I could insert disc two and watch THE SCENE of the miniseries. You know, the one where Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth look at each other across the music room at Pemberley; Mr. Darcy's pleasant but subtle smile and gorgeous eyes gazing longingly at me (I mean Elizabeth Bennett), the violins swelling in the background at just the right moment, making your heart beat a little faster? And I have to say I have always felt a little akin to Miss Elizabeth Bennett through the means of sharing her first name (although I am named for Beth March from Little Women - yes, the one that dies) so I feel I have more right to insert myself in her place than most women.

Well, the prologue to Shannon Hale's novel Austenland was a teasing reminder to the universal circle of womanhood and our collective obsession with Colin Firth - er, Mr. Darcy - er, Pride and Prejudice and all things Jane Austen.

Jane Hayes, the female heroine of Ms. Hale's novel, has a disturbing obsession with Mr. Darcy, a long trail of past boyfriends who have broken her heart, a biological clock ticking, and a rich great aunt, who, at her death, bequeaths Jane with a three week vacation to Pembrook Park, a role-playing regency era-filled destination for women seeking to fulfil their Austonian fantasies in.

Due to her infatuation with Mr. Darcy, an actor playing the part of a Mr. Nobley (a Mr. Darcyesque character), steps in making Jane feel utterly contemptuous - but only at first. She also encounters a servant who works as a gardener at Pembrook Park. Will she get trapped in the fantasy land of role-playing an early nineteenth century single woman and fulfil a romance with Mr. Nobley, go "slumming" by falling for the gardener, or will she return to her senses and rejoin the real world?

I have to admit, I found this book refreshing because it is NOT the kind of novel I generally pick up to read. It peaked my interest because I have read other books by Shannon Hale that she has written for young adults, I am myself an adoring Pride and Prejudice fan, and I am willing to laugh at my own silly adoration of Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. What I did not appreciate about his book was the harlequin nature of it - one of the many reasons I have not been tempted to read the Twilight series. I live in a rated G world and I love it. So in rating this book I feel I have to end up giving it three *** stars instead of four or five. I am also left with no desire to read Shannon Hale's other novel for adults, The Actor and the Housewife. This is mere personal opinion. I can appreciate thematic material in a book, but make-out scenes and fluff leave me feeling a little empty.

Back to Reading

2010-09-14T22:03:00.007-04:00

My book reading has slowed down a bit as I have been mustering through a few weeks of morning sickness - a blessing in disguise. During the next few months I will be reading several 5th-6th grade level story books/novels about ancient history (Egypt, Greek and Roman myths, myths from around the world, etc) with my daughter as she does her homeschool reading.

I am currently reading The Real Thomas Jefferson and plan to read George Washington's Sacred Fire by the end of the year (maybe). After reading Inkheart and Inkspell I am waiting to read the final book in the trilogy, Inkdeath - the only problem being that I can't seem to pry it out of my daughter's hand and will have to wait until she is done. Obviously there has not been a mass of book reviews on this blog in the last few months; between moving cross-country, starting homeschooling and then mustering through the first few weeks of a pregnancy it has been pretty crazy around here!

"Treasure Island" by Robert Louis Stevenson

2010-01-02T16:05:00.005-05:00

I read this book aloud to my nine-year-old daughter and was surprised that she really got into it (my five-year-old son didn't really understand it and usually left the room). While researching this book a little I found out that it includes about 200 words that are no longer in common use in English so we had to spend a lot of time looking up words in the dictionary as we went along. My copy of this book that was published by Puffin Classics and it includes a glossary of common pirate terminology in the back along with a list of characters with a short bio about each.

Also, we checked out a couple of children's non-fiction books about pirates that included pictures of ships that labeled different parts of the boat. This was a difficult book for reading out loud because of all of the dialogue that includes pirate slang (not really my expertise) - I would love to hear this book on an audiobook by an expert!

The author did a great job of making the reader step into the life of the lead character, a fourteen-year-old boy, named Jim Hawkins. A definite page turner, I found myself anticipating how Jim would get out of each intense moment. One reason I enjoyed reading this book out loud to my daughter is that it does contain some very scary moments - including gun fighting, descriptions of less-than-wholesome living, and murder. This gave me an opportunity to talk about these things with her and discuss them as needed.

This book is broken down into six parts; each including about five chapters. Each chapter is about 8-10 pages long making it very easy to sit down and read a little bit and set it down for later.

**** Four stars

My Top-Five Book List for 2009

2009-12-29T09:53:00.005-05:00

Here are my top five book picks from 2009:

1. The 5000 Year Leap: A Miracle That Changed the World by W. Cleon Skousen *****

2. Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens *****

3. The Continuous Atonement by Brad Wilcox *****

4. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte ****

5. Going Rogue by Sarah Palin ****

Favorite Picture Books for November

2009-11-20T20:27:00.015-05:00

Fat Cat: A Danish Folktale retold by Margaret Read

**** I think my son liked this one more than me because he got to burp out loud to help out with the story. I like the spunky mouse in the story.

What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

*****A very fun book that shows pictures of a part of a body of an animal (you are supposed to guess what kind of animal). The next page shows you the animal and how they use that part of their body (tail, eyes, ears, etc).

A Child's Calendar - Poems by John Updike, Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman

**** A poem for each month of the year. Fun poems describing outside conditions and holidays. My son had fun letting me know what the next month would be after each poem. The illustrations are beautiful (but don't get this book if you have a real problem seeing a bare bottom of a child at the beach in August).

Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert

**** This is clearly my pick. The illustrations were fantastic - leaves are used to represent animals and other things throughout the story! My son wanted the book to be over though.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Lauren Child

***** I did not think my son was going to sit through this one with the photographs of dolls and stuffed animals throughout the book. I was wrong. The story is very fluent and well told with some words written smaller and larger depending on how you would naturally stress them. A fun read-aloud book.

Cowboy Slim by Julie Danneburg and Margot Apple

*** This cowboy doesn't quite fit in with the others - he wants to write poems. At the end of the story he finds out his poems are useful. Very fun. This book has a lot of text but kept my son's attention.

A Million Dots by Andrew Clements

***** Just a fun book to look at. You get to look at a million dots over the course of the book (the dots are inside the pictures on each page). Fun facts about numbers. Everyone at home loved this book!

Poetry for Young People by Robert Louis Stevenson

***** These poems are taken from A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson and are very imaginative. My husband and I used to read only silly and funny poems (like Shel Silverstein) to our children with the thought that they would not like any other kind. Not so.

There are several titles out there with collections of poems by Robert Louis Stevenson (author of Treasure Island and Kidnapped). But I particularly like the illustrations in this version.

The Wizard, the Ugly, and the Book of Shame by Pablo Bernasconi

*** This ended up on my favorites list but now I can't quite remember why other than it was fairly clever and funny. Both my kids laughed while reading this.

Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson

***** This is my favorite Halloween picture book ever! Look for it at your local library next October.

If you Give a Pig a Party by Laura Numeroff

*** I love these cute stories by Laura Numeroff that come right back to where they started. Just like dealing with a three-year-old!

The Pumpkin Man From Piney Creek by Darleen Bailey Beard

**** Very nice fall-time story about a girl who wants to make a jack-o-lantern and learns about honesty.

Child's Guide to Common Household Monsters by James Otis Thach

**** This is a very cute monster story, especially if you've got a child who is scared of them. Reall, they are quite scared of us!

Now and Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin by Gene Barretta

***** Fun and educational for the entire family - I did not realize he invented so many things. Cute illustrations. Can't wait to read Neo Leo (about Leonardo Divinci).

Turkey in the Straw by Barbara Shook Hazen

**** The kids thought this story was funny. I was expecting the book to actually go through the words of the song "Turkey in the Straw," but it didn't.

Imagine a Day by Sarah L. Thomson

***** Get this book! The paintings are stunningingly beautiful and full of imagination. This is one of those books that you can spend an hour just looking at the pictures and allowing yourself to enter the world of "what if..."

"The Continuous Atonement" by Brad Wilcox

2009-10-28T16:58:00.004-04:00

"Redemption is more than paying justice and bringing everyone back to God. It is mercifully giving us the opportunity of being comfortable there. Not only can we go home, we can also feel at home."

Read this book. If this is the only gospel-related book you read this year you will not regret my suggestion. Brad Wilcox has written a book filled with his own personal insights on the atonement and how it is an every day force in our lives.

This book helped me discover a new appreciation for the atonement and all that it makes possible.

My favorite chapter of the book is number 6, After All We Can Do; a very insightful essay discussing 2 Nephi 25:23 which reads, "For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do."

"Being Enough" by Chieko N. Okazaki

2009-05-20T14:35:00.005-04:00

"What you have to give is enough - if you give it with all your heart."

What a wonderful and uplifting book! I had previously read Lighten Up and Sanctuary both by Chieko N. Okazaki before purchasing this more recent book. Sister Okazaki has a talent for presenting womanhood in a realistic and down-to-earth way and at the same time sharing how we can experience holiness and spiritual growth in our day-to-day living.

This book is broken down into 12 chapters; each chapter being a mini-sermon on a specific topic. "Being Enough" is the title and subject of chapter one, and one of my favorite sections of the entire book. In this chapter she reminds us that we as women ARE doing and being enough if we are truly doing the best we can and relying on the help of our Savior:

"It is probably true that our own wisdom is inadequate, our own love too quickly exhausted, our own patience in short supply, our own resources too scanty, our own capability too limited, our own talents too stunted. But the good news of the gospel is that we are not alone. This mortal probation is not a test of any of those things. It is an invitation to walk with faith with the Savior, and his promis is that he will make up all of our deficiencies. That's what grace means. That's what grace is for. If we will give Christ our trust, then he will provide everything we lack..."

Another chapter that I loved was entitled "Sparrow Prayers." I believe we have all experienced the feeling that a prayer has gone unanswered or unlistened to. Heavenly Father DOES hear our prayers although they may not be answered when or how we would like them to. Sister Okazaki reminds us that our prayers are listened to and answered - Heavenly Father sometimes sends some sunshine into our lives before we even ask for it and at unexpected times - these are blessings she calls sparrow prayers.

"It's been my experience that sparrow prayers are delightful surprises, happy little 'I love you' messages from God. And since one of their characteristics is that they're not the kind of answers that finds a cure for cancer or stops a war, they're always astonishing because they didn't have to be answered. So they're also always characterized by pure grace and love. They're unbirthday presents. They're surprise packages."

I give this book **** stars. This is the kind of book that you can sit down and read any chapter, take some time to think about it and feel good about the things in life that you are accomplishing.

"Behind Every Good Man: Helping Your Husband Take the Spiritual Lead at Home" by John Bytheway

2009-04-10T20:02:00.008-04:00

Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can and should be and he will become as he can and should be.
- Goethe

I picked this up at the store this morning and read it all in about 45 minutes. If you have been reading my book blog for a while you will discover that self-help and marital/relationship type books are not the kind of thing I read much (maybe I should read more?) but this book addressed a topic that caught my eye and has been on my mind off and on the last few years: How can I better support my husband as the spiritual leader of our home?

John Bytheway has a talent for taking a gospel/spiritual/temporal principle and approaching it in an organized, well-researched, personal-but-not-too-personal, approachable, and hilarious format. This was no exception. One thing that drew me to the book is that it was written by a man and since Brother Bytheway is a man I thought that he just might have some experience and insight to help me out.

Here are some main objectives he addresses on the subject:
1. If you have a strong marriage you can discuss any topic comfortably
2. The guidance of the spirit is key
3. Criticism in any form does not help change your spouse
4. Words of love, praise and encouragement go a long way

Each chapter is short, meaningful, and to the point - not just watered down advice. It's not just a book about everything that women are doing wrong and they just nag their husbands all the time - all the advice that he shares he has tried to internalize in his own life and marriage with his wife. I'm not going to expound much further because then you would not need to purchase this little gem of a book yourself and the publisher might not like that...

I was able to take some time while reading this book to think about my husband, our relationship in general, my strengths and weaknesses in my treatment of him, etc... There is some definite room for improvement on my part and I feel like I have some specific tools to help my husband and support him rather than nag him to an early grave.

Check this book out at the link below:
deseretbook.com/store/product/5014311

This morning I also purchased The John Bytheway Collection - a fifteen year anniversary collection on CD of some of his most popular talks. This will come in handy for our family's drive to Utah this summer (it will be a very LOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNGG drive)!

"Christ and the New Covenant" by Jeffrey R. Holland

2009-02-20T10:04:00.004-05:00

Christ and the New Covenant. Jeffrey R. Holland writes, "The principal and commanding figure in the Book of Mormon, from first chapter to last, is the Lord Jesus Christ. In its unparalleled focus on the Messianic message of the Savior of the World, the Book of Mormon is rightly referred to as God's 'new covenant' with the house of Israel. It is literally a new testament or 'another testament' of Jesus Christ."

In his preface, Elder Holland shares with the reader that this book is the result of several years of private study. I felt almost guilty pleasure in being able to glean from his life's work. Quoting extensively from the Book of Mormon, he adds his thoughts to some passages and to others carefully dissects them for the benefit of understanding all of the doctrines mentioned.

This book helped me to better understand how the Book of Mormon is truly a companion to the Holy Bible, how I can more thoughtfully study the scriptures, and opened up to me just how extensively the Book of Mormon does testify of Christ.

Some sections of the book that I found most interesting include:

*Chapter 2 "Rending the Veil of Unbelief" - sharing the doctrines that were made available to the Jaredites
*Chapter 10 "The Atonement"
*Chapters 11-13 "Christ in the New World" (days one through three and beyond)
*The Appendices (Titles for Christ, Book of Mormon References to Isaiah, "The Father and the Son: a Doctrinal Exposition by the First Presidency and the Twelve," and a Comparison of the Sermon at the Temple and the Sermon on the Mount).

I give this book five ***** stars. This is one that I will be picking up again later. It took me nearly seven or eight months to complete - it's not a book that you can just sit down and read all the way through quickly. I own the paperback edition - I waited for a couple of years for it to come out.

"Our Mutual Friend" by Charles Dickens

2009-02-13T13:23:00.012-05:00

"Has a dead man any use for money? ... What world does money belong to? This world. How can money be a corpse's?"

In my humble opinion, I have just finished reading Charles Dicken's bestest written novel. This was his last completed novel (1865) before he died (obviously). No one can weave a tapestry of story lines and characters as he can without forgetting to tie up a few loose strings.

The main plot, oddly enough, centers around some dust mounds or garbage heaps. What the dust mounds are really made of is a matter left undefined (there are several theories floating around - the most "poopular" one being that they contain human excrement and I can't believe that I am even typing this right now). John Harmon Sr. made his fortune in dust mounds (running the garbage business so to speak) and died leaving several wills. The will that concerns most of the story maintains that his son, John Harmon, will inherit everything (including the dust/garbage mounds) if he marries a certain girl by the name of Bella Wilfer. If he does not marry her, the inheritance goes to a Mr. Boffin, a dustman in Mr. Harmon's employ for many years. Well, the beginning of the book opens with John Harmon junior's drowning...or does it?

There are so many main characters and sub-plots woven into this novel that I am having the most frightful time summing it up. Is Bella Wilfer really a conniving little mercenary witch? Is it true that a man who's been saved from drowning can't be drowned to death? Did Gaffer Hexam murder John Harmon before pulling him out of the river? What happened to Mr. Boffin and why has he become such a bear? Where did Lizzie Hexam disappear to and why? Some other main characters include Fascination Fledgeby, Mr. Riah, Jenny Wren (the unforgettable doll's dress maker), Eugene Wrayburn and Mortimer Lightwood, John Rokesmith, Rogue Riderhood, Sloppy, Betty Higden, Silas Wegg, Mr. Venus, Mr. Podsnap who "stood very high in Mr. Podsnap's opinion," Twemlow, The Veneerings, Bradley Headstone, Mr. and Mrs. Lammle, and so on and so on.

As the title implies, the cast of characters are sort of known to each other or through each other. How Dicken's could keep track of all these relationships is a wonder (he actually made a very good outline before writing most of his novels and so it was well thought out in advance). Some have had the opinion that the novel is hastily tied up at the end but I disagree. To me it felt as if all of the climactic action and sub-plots just stewed and simmered until ready to explode, leaving me to feel the same surprising feelings as did Bella Wilfer, Silas Wegg, Rogue Riderhood and others whose lives are entirely changed by the events of the story.

I think the greatest lesson from this novel has the do with $. At what lengths are people willing to go to get it and when they have it is it enough?

I give this book a rating of five ***** stars. I plan to read this novel again in a few years. I wish that I had done a better job of marking passages I found interesting to refer to. The BBC made a wonderful miniseries of Our Mutual Friend in 1998. Although it does not have every single detail or character from the novel I found that it was as true as possible to the original and I enjoyed the cast and the opportunity to visually see what the dustmounds much talked of in the book might have been like.

"Promises to Keep: Diane's Story" by Dean Hughes

2008-11-26T13:12:00.005-05:00

If you have read the Hearts of the Children and Children of the Promise series' by Dean Hughes and you don't know that this final book is out then go get it now! Readers just wanted to know one thing at the end of the fifth volume of Children of the Promise: What happens to Diane? Well... I'm not going to tell you!

Predictable. Enjoyable. Satisfying.

I got it in the mail yesterday in the morning and by 8:00 PM had it all finished. Did my kids suffer? Yes. But now I can return to normalcy.

"Last of the Mohicans" 1970's Era BBC movie

2008-11-26T07:22:00.001-05:00

So I said I was going to give this a try and a try I did. For about 15 minutes. Bad lighting, poor acting, straying from the plot, etc. Classic 70's soap opera-style filming. Enough said.

"The Last of the Mohicans" by James Fenimore Cooper

2008-11-17T18:56:00.005-05:00

If thou art desirest to read this prodigious zenith of 18th Century American literature, then thou mightest need to acquire a voluminous dictionary to assist thine desire to understand the vaunting and antediluvian language found therein, as it appears that the most excellent author, James Fenimore Cooper, possessed a vocabulary of, well, lets just say it's um, better than mine...

I'm not going to outline the plot in detail. If you want that, then click here. I wish I had taken my own advice and clicked there first just to get a good look at the cast of characters. It took me about 75 pages to realize that Duncan and Heyward were one and the same (i.e. Duncan Heyward). Many of the Indian tribe names and descriptions left me confused. Several passages jumped right into the middle of action-packed material so quickly that I had to re-read several paragraphs and some chapters to know what was going on. It really is a wonder that I finished this book - I feel like a master of perseverance!

So I will just say that I have mixed feelings about this book. Exciting it is. Easy to understand it is not. Most of the story is very thrilling because there is always a chase - bad guys looking for good guys and vice versa. Kidnapping, murder, massacres, disguises, love, betrayal, etc. The story is chalk full of movie-worthy material and I fully understand why the Daniel Day Lewis version made about 12 years ago is rated R. I am going to try and get my hands on a PG 13 version that I saw a few years ago (by the time I read the book I did not remember a darn thing about the movie). The BBC also made a miniseries in the 1970's that I am going to order from Netflix. I understand that this latter version is very true to the book and well done, but the entire cast, including Indians, are British actors. I'll give it a try.

In the end, I give it three *** stars - there would have been more stars if it was easier to follow the story. I can now boast that I have read the very manly The Last of the Mohicans book. Can you?

Sunday Afternoon Ideas for Kids

2008-11-17T18:37:00.008-05:00

I am one of those mean moms that don't let their children do activities during sacrament meeting but I have found that our Sunday afternoons have been wasted away in front of the T.V. and I have been looking for some solutions to help my children enjoy the Sabbath.

I got these great activity books full of puzzles, word searches and games that help teach the scriptures and gospel principles. The Junior edition is still a bit too difficult for my four-year-old son but my eight-year-old daughter and I had a great time doing some of the puzzles together the last couple of Sundays. These are definitely a keeper.

*Both available at Deseret Book
The Big Book of Sacrament Time Activities: Junior Edition by Jenna Mitchell
The Big Book of Sacrament Time Activities: Senior Edition by Jenna Mitchell

"Journey of the Heart" by W. Dave Free

2008-11-17T17:17:00.006-05:00

This story is categorized as LDS Young Adult Fiction. Not my usual kind of read but I am always willing to try something new. And besides, it is never too late for me to start building a library of clean books for my kids to read when they hit those teenage years.

The story centers around Jake, an average 18-year-old boy, who is making some of those "coming of age" decisions. In this instance, it has to do with deciding to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After sharing with his parents that he has decided not to serve a mission he suffers an accident while skiing with his friend Tyler. When he gains consciousness he finds himself in Iowa city in 1856 with a group of Latter-day Saints who are getting ready to cross the plains by handcart.

Jake makes friends with Annie, a young, single sister in the handcart company, who often reminds him of some of his lousy outlooks on life and the gospel. He is asked to serve in a few different capacities such as a tent president, a blacksmith, a carpenter to help fix broken handcarts, and he also helps weigh and record the items that the saints are allowed to carry.

I found this book a valuable help in understanding the plight of the pioneers who were willing to leave all of their possessions and, in some cases, their family members behind so they could join the other saints in the Salt Lake Valley. I will admit that I found the plot to be very predictable and I had a hard time believing the whole time travel thing, but I am willing to give this book three *** stars because it was well written and fun to read - as a teenager I would have definitely given it four or five stars. There are a few editing snafus but it is in it's first printing (it just came out this year) and so that is generally expected.

I highly recommend this book to LDS teenagers and their parents that want to learn more about the handcart experiences of the pioneers.

* Available at Deseret Book

"The Woman in White" by Wilkie Collins

2008-10-27T13:19:00.005-04:00

The short synopsis on the back of my copy of this book labels the story as one of the first "horror" novels. That description was not what I had seen before and so I was a little leery about starting it because I DO NOT READ SCARY BOOKS!!! I ordered this book a few months ago after having a long-time interest in reading a Wilkie Collins novel because I had read or heard somewhere that he wrote some of the first suspense and mystery novels. Thankfully this latter description is more appropriate - the novel was not grotesque and scary, but it was indeed suspenseful. This book is also one of the first attempts at writing a story from the vantage point of a few different characters - something that is done very commonly nowadays.

Without giving away too much of the plot, the story centers around Walter Hartright, an art teacher; two half sisters, Marian Halcombe and Laura Fairlie; an evil Italian Count with the surname Fosco and the dangerous Sir Percival Glyde; and of course the elusive "woman in white," a woman whose past and present seems to intermingle with the rest of the cast of characters.

Walter Hartright is sent to teach drawing to the two sisters, Marian and Laura, in Cumberland. Before ending up there he comes across a mysterious woman in white, who, after some investigation, find out that she has some ties to Laura and Marian. Later, Laura marries Sir Percival Glyde, a man who is at least 20 years her senior, and who has ulterior motives with the money she brings into the marriage. A very lucky coincidence (for the bad guys) makes it possible for a plot to dis-inherit Laura and leave her without friends and family to support her. Sort of an early version of identity theft.

The remainder of the story takes the reader on a journey as Walter Hartright, Laura and Marian work to reinstate Laura's identity. Figuring out a dark secret in Sir Glyde's past seems to be the key and the reader is left in great anticipation trying to figure it out.

I will admit, the book is very long but I found it interesting to read and had a difficult time putting it down. The ending was a bit unusual compared to contemporary mysteries. The wicked Count Fosco doesn't quite get it in the end by the story's cast of heroes, but instead gets his just desserts by other means. The end of the story took a long time to wrap up and I was sadly disappointed with Sir Percival Glyde's fate - I'll just leave it at that. I would not have been as nice.

As it was one of many "firsts," I am being a little easy and giving this book four **** stars. It was interesting to read, quite suspenseful and I really enjoyed the character of Marian Halcombe. My only real disappointment was the ending but I tried to be understanding because it was a pseudo-original idea. I hope to read Moonstone, another of Wilkie Collins mysteries, in the near future.

"An LDS Girl's Guide to Real Beauty" by Leslie Cheret

2008-10-26T16:37:00.005-04:00

Finally, a fun and age-appropriate book for young girls (perhaps ages 8-12) that discusses beauty, hygiene, exercise, modesty and self-esteem! First off I have to say that this book is absolutely precious - the illustrations are very feminine and fun. My 8-year-old daughter is going to love this book (I am saving it for her for Christmas so mum's the word).

In the introduction the author, Leslie Cheret, says that she was inspired to write this book after spending time working with girls in primary and young women and seeing that so many of them have poor self-perception. I recently heard a study that young girls start deciding that they are fat and ugly somewhere around age 11. It is easy to understand this because of the media they are exposed to and sometimes, sadly, because of their own mothers who unwittingly share feelings of not being good enough, smart enough or thin enough.

I love chapter two that is entitled Self Confidence and Wonder Woman because it discusses spiritual power and having the holy ghost with you - two things that make a girl or a woman truly beautiful.

Chapter three gives away a wonderful beauty secret - SERVICE! What would this world be like if it was filled with women who had the spirit with them and were constantly seeking ways to serve?

I think that my favorite chapter in the book is chapter five which is called Modest is Hottest. Shopping for girls these days can be a pretty tough job, even for the very young ones, because the stores offer short shorts, tight shirts, and well, you get the picture. I love the reminders in here that boys like girls who dress modestly (at least the kind of boys that we all hope our daughters will be dating).

An LDS Girls Guide to Real Beauty is an excellent supplement for the Faith in God Program for Girls. I can't wait to go through this book with my daughter and have a fun way to discuss some of the topics found in it. My daughter loves to read and so I don't doubt that she will have fun reading this book, but I think that other girls who may not like reading as much will be equally enthusiastic to read it because it discusses topics that they are curious about.

*Available at Deseret Book

"Short Talks for Kids Ages 4-7" by Britney Rule

2008-10-26T16:25:00.005-04:00

This is a wonderful resource to have on hand when your young primary-age child has been assigned to give a talk in primary. I think I will also be pulling it out for Family Home Evening.

Each chapter is filled with a few one-page talks that discuss principles of the gospel (i.e. forgiveness; Jesus Christ, our Savior; prophets; Heavenly Father's Plan, etc...). They are written in plain and simple language that a young child can understand and feel comfortable speaking. Depending on the child, she may also be able to memorize one of these short talks.

Visual aids can easily be added with the help of the Gospel Art Kit or homemade pictures! At the bottom of each talk is a recommended picture to use from the Gospel Art Kit. There is also an edition for ages 8-12.

*Available at Deseret Book

"No One Can Take Your Place" by Sheri Dew

2008-10-07T20:30:00.003-04:00

"Premortally, in the most difficult of circumstances, we stood loyally by our Father and His Son, and we did not flinch. The question for us today is: How will we do it again?"

I bought this book a few years ago and it has been sitting on my shelf. I even started it a couple of years ago and then set it aside. What was I thinking? This book was excellent and as a woman living in the last days before the Savior comes again, I really needed the messages in here that Sheri Dew shared.

It is very difficult to sum up a religious/inspirational book like this because each section and chapter has it's own theme but I was left with the feeling that what I am doing here on earth really matters; also, that women have a divine role to fulfil; that women can help the family unit in a way that no one else can; that the Savior loves me and that I can repent; and that we were not sent here to fail - even though we living in a failing world.

"As women who care about our families in particular and about the family in general, as mothers and wives, grandmothers and sisters and aunts, we no longer have the luxury of standing by and watching what is happening all around us. It is time to stand up and be counted."

About a year ago we had some missionaries over for dinner. As the conversation went on Sheri Dew's name came up and one of the elders said that he didn't get anything Sheri Dew said - that her personal experiences that she used as analogies didn't make sense to him. I remember trying very emphatically to change his mind because I have loved every book by Sheri Dew that I have read (If Life Were Easy, Then It Wouldn't Be Hard and No Doubt About It) greatly in part to her willingness to share her life (including her blunders) with the reader. Maybe it's a woman thing or maybe it's because as a woman I have had similar experiences and conclusions.

I love to hear Sheri Dew speak; I love her well-written and concise thoughts; and I love that I feel ready to take on the world one laundry pile at a time!

Sadly, I only marked about three passages in this book because I read most of it in the car loop while taking my son to preschool. I will definitely be back to reading this book again in the near future so I can mark it up and make it my own.

FIVE ***** STARS!

"If God wants a powerful people who can withstand the wiles of the devil (and He does), and if we were born to lead in these latter days (and we were), then we need to understand how God makes His power available to us, and how we gain access to that power."

"Have a New Kid by Friday: How to Change Your Child's Attitude, Behavior and Character in 5 Days" by Dr. Kevin Leman

2008-10-04T19:12:00.005-04:00

In the past I have had a difficult time with parenting and/or self-help books. The jargon and language drives me crazy! When I worked at Franklin Covey while I was in college we were asked not to work on homework when we had extra time but to instead read time management and self-help books. In general I have always tuned out while reading these types of books but as I have matured a little I have realized that there are some areas that I need help.

About six years ago when my daughter was just a toddler a friend of mine recommended reading Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours by Dr. Kevin Leman. I found it to be a helpful resource for me that helped me know what to do when she started a tantrum - and to this day she is not one to throw a tantrum.

Recently I have been feeling a need to search out some ideas to help out with my four-year-old son because like most young boys, he can be a handful and he is sometimes aggressive (especially towards his sister). I decided to go back to the same parenting author I had read before and I was VERY happy that I did.

Dr. Leman begins the book with about five chapters that deal generally with his approach to parenting - a style that is neither permissive nor authoritarian; a style he prefers to call authoritative. He discusses some common reasons kids act out and how to react. The wonderful thing (or difficult thing) about his approach to parenting is that you as the parent must change your outlook and your actions. After all, being a parent is a real job!

The next section is golden - 100 common topics that parents often ask him for help with (I.E. whining, money, manners, bullying, disrespect, interrupting, etc) and discusses each one a little and provides a dialogue to help with the issue at hand. This section is very nicely alphabetized for easy reference. Now I have to admit that there were about three or four situations he discussed that I would handle slighlty different from his approach but so far I have seen some positive changes in my home - I hear the words "please" and "thank you" more often, my children have been working difficulties out together, and my son is saying "I hate you" less often.

I recommend this to all parents/future parents as a MUST-HAVE parenting resource!

"Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis

2008-09-22T17:07:00.009-04:00

(If you actually make it through this entire post then I grant you 100 points on an imaginary reward chart).

Wow. There are some great thinkers out there and I don't think I make the cut. C.S. Lewis definitely does. This book is divided into 4 sections: Right and wrong as a clue to the meaning of the universe; What Christians believe; Christian behavior; and Beyond personality: or the first steps in the doctrine of the trinity.

The first three sections of this volume are taken from radio broadcasts given in the 1940's that Lewis later "tweeked" to put into book format. In the preface, Lewis says "I made a few additions to what I had said at the microphone, but otherwise left the text much as it had been." On the next page Lewis writes "The reader should be warned that I offer no help to anyone who is hesitating between two Christian 'denominations'... This omission is intentional."

I have found it very interesting reading the works of C.S. Lewis, a man who was once a decided atheist, who converted to Christianity after a great deal of thought and life experience. In this book, Lewis shares his thoughts and logical conclusions as to why Christianity makes sense; and although I highly appreciate his approach and agree with most of his conclusions, I personally believe that true conversion does not come by just thinking things through logically.

It is difficult for me to sum this book up in a nice and tidy review; each chapter lends itself to much discussion so I will instead chose one or two thoughts from each section of the book and ask for your comments on whether you agree/disagree with C.S. Lewis.

I was very much looking forward to the last book dealing with the trinity so that I could better understand my fellow Christians (many whom do NOT consider me a Christian because I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) but found myself muddled in confusion on the topic of the Three-Personal God. In a nutshell, my belief of the Godhead (or trinity) is summed up in the First Article of Faith which reads: "We believe in God, the Eternal Father; and in His Son, Jesus Christ; and in the Holy Ghost." In other words I believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost - three distinct personages who are ONE IN PURPOSE. The Son testifies of the Father, and the Holy Ghost testifies of the Father AND the Son.

Book 1: Right and Wrong as a Clue to the Meaning of the Universe

In Chapter 1, entitled The Law of Human Nature, Lewis writes: "a body could not choose whether it obeyed the law of gravitation or not, but a man could choose either to obey the Law of Human Nature or to disobey it."

Question 1: Do you agree with Lewis that there is a Law of Human Nature?

Book 2: What Christians Believe

In chapter 2, entitled The Invasion, Lewis writes: "atheism is too simple. And I will tell you another view that is also too simple. It is the view I call Christianity-and-water, the view which simply says there is a good God in Heaven and everything is all right - leaving out all the difficult and terrible doctrines about sin and hell and the devil, and the redemption"

"Notice ... their idea of God 'making religion simple'; as if 'religion' were something God invented, and not His statement to us of certain quite unalterable facts about His own nature."

Question 2: Do you believe that religion is something created merely to help us here on earth or that it is really God teaching us "unalterable facts about His own nature" to help us return to Him?

Book 3: Christian Behavior

In this book I found a quote that I had previously been searching for (of course I did not search for it very hard or I would have found it before). I'm sorry it's very lengthy...

"No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good. A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is. After all, you find out the strength of the German army by fighting it, not by giving in. You find out the strength of a wind by trying to walk against it, not by lying down. A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in. We never find out the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it: and Christ, because He was the only man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only man who knows to the full what temptation means - the only complete realist."

Questions 3: Do you agree with this overall statement? Please share your thoughts with me.

Book 4: Beyond Personality: or First Steps in the Doctrine of the Trinity

Not only did I find the fourth book confusing, but I found many of Lewis's analogies in this section awkward (at least to me). Lewis shares his belief in a personal God, one who knows and loves his children and is not mysterious and out of reach - this I absolutely agree with. I had difficulty finding a definitive quote to share from this entire section of the book so I will just leave this topic alone. If you would like to share any of your personal beliefs about the Trinity (Godhead) please do.

I have taken a little bit of time to read the creeds that are adhered to by many Christian faiths. I find them confusing and wonder how these creeds, written by men who were NOT God's prophets on the earth, could be taken as doctrine by so many to this day. In reading about how the creeds came about I am under the understanding that it really ended up being compromises of the views of men. If you are interested in reading more about my understanding of the Godhead please go to the following link:

The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hath Sent by Jeffrey R. Holland

I highly recommend this book to anyone - of course I highly recommend any of C.S. Lewis' writings. Thought I do not believe that this can stand alone as a case for Christianity (the study of The Holy Bible, The Book of Mormon, prayer and pondering are the only sure ways) it was well thought out and was a fascinating look into the mind of C.S. Lewis.

"Cranford" the BBC miniseries

2008-09-14T15:58:00.004-04:00

I love it love it love it! It arrived yesterday in the mail and right now I am on my second watching of it (perfect timing because I have developed a miserable sore throat and have no choice but to sit on the couch and watch it). I also received Wives and Daughters yesterday which is a most worthy adaptation of the novel, also written by Elizabeth Gaskell.

Everybody who is anybody is in this movie - Dame Judy Dench, Dame Eileen Atkins, Simon Woods, Francesca Annis, Imelda Staunton, Julia McKenzie, Greg Wise, Philip Glenister, Michael Gambon and more! It is a wonder how they were able to assemble this cast to work together on the movie.

I was quite delighted with the weaving of Mr. Harrison's Confessions with the novel Cranford (and My Lady Ludlow) all into one fabulous screenplay. I have to admit that the storyline following Lady Ludlow left me a little bored - it seemed a little out of place to me and although it was my least favorite of the three stories it seemed so much edited as to make it stale. But I guess I do understand the inclusion of this story as a general help in addressing change and continuity within a community; subjects commonly addressed by Elizabeth Gaskell in her writing.

I don't usually just go out and buy movies that I haven't seen - I usually order them on Netflix first and decide if it is one worthy of buying but I had finished the book and the first disc had a long wait on it so I just went ahead and bought it and I'm glad I did. As I looked at reviews on amazon.com it seemed the only poor movie reviews for Cranford were written by people who did not realize that the story line was created from three different novellettes, thus leading them to the conclusion that the writers had a hey-day with the original story.

My recommendation - read the books (yes, even My Lady Ludlow) then watch the movie! Five ***** stars!

"My Lady Ludlow" by Elizabeth Gaskell

2008-09-10T13:21:00.004-04:00

My Lady Ludlow is the third and final of three stories in the collection entitled The Cranford Chronicles by Elizabeth Gaskell. I have to say from the beginning that this was my least favorite of the three.

The first page deceived me into believing I would find it enjoyable; the narrator, Margaret Dawson, begins telling the story in her old age looking back on the days when "the post came in but once a month; - but letters were letters then; and we made great prizes of them, and read them and studied them like books. Now the post comes rattling in twice a day, bringing short jerky notes, some without beginning or end, but just a little sharp sentence, which well-bred folks would think too abrupt to be spoken." I had to laugh because this made me think of e-mail - in fact, as an example, check out the entire message I just e-mailed to my mom:

i updated it. check it out. -liz

The plot is simple: Margaret Dawson (the narrator, remember?) goes to live with a Lady Ludlow, a fine example of an aristrocratic heiress, who is described as kind, loving, etc... But I have to admit I had a difficult time finding out why Lady Ludlow was so kind because the entire story seems to center around the fact that girls and children should not be educated; they should be happy with the place that God has placed them in and not desire to be smarter than their "betters." I'm sorry, but my 21st century womanly mind has a hard time wrapping itself around this concept. Lady Ludlow, in response to the parson's desire to open a Sunday School replies with, "

"I consider a knowledge of the Creed, and of the Lord's Prayer, as essential to salvation; and that any child may have, whose parents bring it regularly to church. Then there are the Ten Commandments, which teach simple duties in the plainest language. Of course, if a lad is taught to read and write his duties become complicated, and his temptations much greater, while, at the same time, he has no hereditary principles and honourable training to serve as safeguards."

My favorite part of the entire story was a very long, short story in the middle of the book about two people getting killed by the guillotine during the French Revolution - Lady Ludlow used this very long, short story to share with Margaret Dawson (the narrator, remember?) why the useless rubble of society should not be educated but I don't think her point was really made other than the popular generalization that the semi-educated lower classes rose up and took over.

In the end Lady Ludlow seems to acquiesce a little to the idea of those beneath her receiving education (although very little education). But it never feels to me like she does this because of her goodwill towards others, but merely giving in even though it is against her better judgement.

I had a difficult time enjoying this book and it took me quite some time to finish. Written by Elizabeth Gaskell, it is of course written well. I just don't really get it and don't want to put in the effort to "get it." All I have to say is that I have finished The Cranford Chronicles series and now I can watch the BBC miniseries!

My New Yoga Book

2008-09-05T08:16:00.007-04:00

I have been trying to get a handle on Yoga for a few years (and I wish I would have gotten a better handle on it about 7-8 years ago when I was still very young and flexible and just trying out yoga for the first time). I have found that yoga classes vary a great deal and can be expensive, and I have never enjoyed the whole exercise video thing. The nice thing about going to a class (if you actuallly have a good teacher) is that he/she can help you with correct form.

Well, this last week I ordered a book from amazon.com called Moving Toward Balance: 8 Weeks of Yoga with Rodney Yee. First of all, I will say that the paper that the book is printed on alone, is worth the money I paid for it. He shows you exactly how to breath and takes you through different kinds of yoga poses throughout the 8 weeks (or however long it takes you to do it - I will not be getting through it in 8 weeks). Also, are detailed descriptions of how to hold the poses and what body parts to focus on. Now some of the poses I am a bit worried about like handstand and a full Plow Pose, but he gives some alernate versions of these poses that do not require the full range of flexibility or strength - you can work up to it over time.

Although I am familiar with most of the poses I am going to take my time and go through the sequenced practices. Yesterday I did day one, focusing on standing poses. Anyone who has taken the time to really try yoga knows that it is not just stretching - it focuses on balance, focus, looking and listening inward, strength, relaxation and vulnerability. Leaning towards a type 'A' personality, I have always skimmed past the relaxation and meditation 'crap' before, but I am trying to change that and make it a part of my yoga practice. Maybe then I won't have any more posts entitled "Too Much to Do" or "I'm Completely Stressed Out."

If you do the program as prescribed then you do 6 days of yoga each week (including one day of relaxation/meditation. I cannot devote six days a week; 2-3 works for me because I also like jogging and don't want to exclude that. At the end of the book after going through the 8 week course, Rodney Yee helps you to design your own practices - no guess work. But after I become an expert, do not expect any pictures of me holding weird poses (insert wisecrack here).

You can view the entire book on google books here.

Oh, and after Day 1, I felt great! You should join me! And of course I will let you know how everything goes when I am finished with the 8 week program (which will take me about 16 weeks).

Namaste

"Mr. Harrison's Confessions" by Elizabeth Gaskell

2008-08-27T15:10:00.006-04:00

This book (a short story really) is included in my edition of The Cranford Chronicles, a collection of three stories (one of them titled Cranford). The main character, Mr. Harrison, tells the story of how he came to be in Duncombe, a small town, and the events that led up to his marriage. The small town gossiping-but-good-intentioned-ladies get Mr. Harrison stuck in a much talked about love triangle - a love triangle that doesn't really exist; an uncomfortable situation for anyone!

It was a very delightful and quick read - it just took me about three days, and it only took that long because I had a lot going on. While reading it I found myself laughing out loud quite a bit, especially further into the story - it is quite hilarious, in a quiet, proper English town sort of way!

Right now I am reading the third story included in the collection entitled My Lady Ludlow. So far I have not been as delighted with this story as the other two, but finish it I must so I can get the mini-series on Netflix!

"Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls - a book review by my daughter

2008-08-07T17:10:00.004-04:00

I really liked this book. My mom read it out loud to me. It was SO exciting except for the end that was sad. It's about a little boy in the past named Billy who saved his money for a long time to buy two hunting dogs and those dogs never gave up!

Old Dan, the bigger dog, died from a fight and Little Ann, the smaller dog, died of a broken heart. Old Dan would only eat after Little Ann got her share. They brought in more coon skins than other dogs. Like I said, they never gave up. That is why I think people should read it.

"Cranford" by Elizabeth Gaskell

2008-08-04T17:14:00.017-04:00

"It was impossible to live a month at Cranford, and not know the daily habits of each resident..."

I have been trying to decide what to say about this book for a couple of days now - writers *blog* has left my mind blank... But I do know that everyone should read something by Elizabeth Gaskell; a contemporary of Charles Dickens, this often looked over authoress is my personal favorite. Her writing is flawless and very readable; you never have to read a sentence twice to try and figure out what she was communicating; in fact the only reason to read an "Elizabeth Gaskell sentence" twice is to relish it!

Cranford was originally written as a series of eight vignettes that were published in Household Words, a periodical edited by Charles Dickens. Later Mrs. Gaskell decided to put them together in novel form and did a little tweeking through the story to make it work better in this medium.

This story is a window into the lives of the residents of Cranford, a small, fictional town in England. The work is semi-autobiographical, loosely describing characters and events that happened in the town of Knutsworth where Elizabeth Gaskell spent many of her growing-up years.

The book is narrated by Mary Smith, a friend of Deborah and Matilda Jenkyns, and a regular visitor to Cranford. The Misses Jenkyns are two middle-aged spinster sisters, the daughters of the late Rector Jenkyns, trying to make due and uphold the appearance of dignity with little money; they fit in perfectly since the rest of the widows and spinsters of Cranford seem to be in the same situation.

Since most of the women in the story are unmarried they feel it their duty to speak almost contemptuously or indifferent as to the institution of marriage while at the same time secretly wishing they were under it's power. "The ladies of Cranford are quite sufficient. 'A man,' as one of them observed to me once, 'is so in the way in the house!"

My favorite description of the Cranford ladies is found on the second page of the book: "Their dress is very independent of fashion; as they observe, 'What does is signify how we dress here at Cranford, where everybody knows us?' And if they go from home, their reason is equally cogent: 'What does it signify how we dress here, where nobody knows us?'"

Most of the story centers on Matilda Jenkyns (Miss Matty) and her struggle to be independent; to discover herself and her own strength after the death of her very pious and decisive sister Deborah. Although many of the accounts in the book are light and heart-warming, the town of Cranford is not untouched by tragedy; almost at the beginning the reader hears of sickness, a violent death, unrequited love and later, the eventual bankruptcy of Miss Matty. The interaction of the women in Miss Matty's circle is sometimes humorous and sometimes petty and tainted by the ruling of the social classes.

Just like reading David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, I feel that I really know Miss Matty - almost to the point where I felt like I was the narrator, Mary Smith, and that I experienced her sorrows and her joys with her; that I experienced life with her. Miss Matty is one of the most loveable and endearing characters that I have come across in a novel and it is strange to know that her life was not really lived. And like Dorothea, in George Eliot's Middlemarch (a book you should read if you haven't already), she represents one of many quiet people in the world who are trying to be good and do good, and that makes all the difference. *I am not insinuating that Dorothea and Miss Matty are similar in their motives or personalities.

There are two other stories in a collection called The Cranford Chronicles - My Lady Ludlow and Mr. Harrison's Confessions. I have already ordered these from amazon.com. I am thankful that my wonderful Auntie Carol let me know that I need to read these before watching the new BBC mini-series entitled Cranford because they merged all three stories into it. I can't wait to see it - I have heard from two excellent sources that it was very well done.

The other Elizabeth Gaskell books I have read are Wives and Daughters (which is her last book, but be aware that it is unfinished) and North and South which is my favorite all-time book. I sometimes daydream that I am Margaret Hale and that John Thornton is not just a character from a book (I would take Mr. Thornton over Mr. Darcy ANYDAY!). Sometimes when I need a romantic pick-me-up I just have to read the last two pages of this book.

Cranford gets four **** stars from me and a recommendation to all within my blogging power to try a book by Elizabeth Gaskell. You won't be sorry. I really enjoyed the Penguins Classics edition that I purchased; it had excellent and very necessary notes to help understand some of the colloquialisms and history, two bonus appendices including an excerpt on fashion at the time the book took place (with illustrations), and an introduction that I actually found useful (although I only skimmed through it).

And here's a thought to leave you with: "It is very pleansant dining with a bachelor...I only hope it is not improper; so many pleasant things are!"

"The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio" by Terry Ryan

2008-07-13T19:30:00.006-04:00

The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less by Terry Ryan

I will just begin by saying that this is the funniest book I have read in a long time. If you are searching for an entertaining book that is a fast read then this should be at the top of your list!

The heroine of the book is Evalyn Ryan, mother of ten kids and wife of an alcoholic. Terry Ryan, the author, is the sixth of Evalyn's ten children and wrote this memoir to share with others just how incredibly upbeat her mother was even when the going got tough. Evalyn Ryan, during the "contest era" of the 1950's and 1960's, had a penchant for writing short poems and one-liners and used her talents to enter hundreds of contests sponsored by various companies, helping to support her large family with awards and cash prizes that, in many cases, came just in the nick of time.

Throughout the book the pages are peppered with Evalyn's contest entries, poems and short stories written for newspapers and her upbeat wit and wisdom. With a husband who spent about a third of his income on alcohol (from a pay check that was not enough for a family of twelve to start with), and who was even sometimes violent, Evalyn could have spent her life being angry and bitter but she managed to pick up her feet and keep going with a smile and taught her ten children to do the same. She also taught her children that miracles happen every day, as is apparent in reading about the life of the Ryan family.

Though her contest entries are mostly very clever I enjoyed her short poems even more. Here are a couple that left me laughing:

Hippopotapoem
Behold the hippopotamus
bestowing hippo kisses
Upon a hippopotamiss
Who's not his hippomissus.

But he's no hippocrit, is he,
This hippopotamister
Because the hippopotamiss
Is his little hipposister.
_____________________

Every time I pass the church
I stop and make a visit
So when I'm carried in feet first
God won't say, "Who is it?"

I am going to rate this book with **** stars. It is a delightful read, it is very well written (the author, Terry Ryan, is a technical writer by profession), and I found it fun to be transported into the full swing of the 1950's.

"Emma" by Jane Austen

2008-07-12T20:32:00.004-04:00

I finished reading Emma by Jane Austen last week while our family was on a camping trip and I have to say that I found the story a little on the slow side (probably just because I am of the "gotta-have-it-now" generation) but highly satisfying, especially as I neared the end. At 453 pages (at least in my edition) this stands as Austen's longest novel, her most in depth treatise on daily living and relationships, and is often thought of as Jane Austen's most flawless work.

Emma Woodhouse, the beautiful, rich and single heroine of the novel, is very happy with her life and sees no reason to change it. Near the beginning of the book she says, "I never have been in love; it is not my way, or my nature; and I do not think I ever shall." "My being charming, Harriet, is not quite enough to induce me to marry; I must find other people charming - one other person at least." However, she quite dotes on those around her and is sure that she has found a match for her new friend Harriet whose birth and social status is quite unknown. While trying to play the role of matchmaker (with no success) for her friend Harriet, Emma finally comes to realize that she has found love for herself in a very unexpected place.

Before reading this novel I had seen the movie version starring Gwyneth Paltrow several times so in my mind Emma will always look like her, Harriet will always look like Toni Collette, and Mr. Knightley will always look like Jeremy Northam (which is really fine by me). I tried to picture my cute sister-in-law Michelle as Harriet but to no avail - the Hollywood version was already so engrained in my mind (by the way, the Gwyneth Paltrow version is quite excellent in my opinion).

Something that I found very frustrating in reading this book is that Emma is member of the social elite and as such her snobbery and classifying of people is a natural part of her make-up and her thoughts. Mr. Knightly, also a member of the social elite, has a much more balanced opinion of those around him and tries to help guide Emma in her treatment of others. After some time Emma discovers that she loves him but worries that his feelings are for another but "It darted through her with the speed of an arrow that Mr. Knightley must marry no one but herself!"

In the end, my favorite quote from the entire book is near the end after Jeremy Northam, excuse me - I mean Mr. Knightley and Emma are in love. He is not a romancer and makes no bones about it when he says to Emma, "If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more." Sort of reminds me of my my adoring husband...who I might add loves me very much.

I give it **** four stars. Slow as it was, I'm glad I read it. The cast of characters is delightful. The writing is beautifully done. Emma, with her flaws and all, is easy to love and easy to relate to (at least as a woman). You should read it too! (And by the way, this now concludes my reading of all of Jane Austen's six completed novels).

"Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortensen and David Oliver Relin

2008-07-12T20:32:00.003-04:00

Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School at a Time

"Here (in Pakistan and Afghanistan), we drink three cups of tea to do business; the first you are a stranger, the second you become a friend, and the third, you join our family, and for our family we are prepared to do anything - even die." - Haji Ali, Korphe Village Chief, Karakoram Mountains, Pakistan

This book is based on the experiences of Greg Mortensen, a former mountain climber turned humanitarian-in-action, who ended up in a small poverty-stricken village in the Karakoram mountains of Pakistan after an unsuccessful attempt to climb K2, the second highest mountain in the world. After spending some time with the people of this small village he felt the need to help build a school for them and promised he would be back.

After a few years of work in Pakistan and Afghanistan there are now over 55 schools, especially for girls, operating in the same lands that gave birth to the Taliban. These schools stand as a force for good in a land where many Wahhabi Madrassas have been built, many with a single purpose to teach militant Jihad.

In reading this book I feel that I have learned a lot about the culture of a people I formerly had little knowledge about. I felt a great respect for Greg Mortensen and his abilities to immerse himself in the culture, learn several languages and dialects so he could communicate with others, and jump hurdles that came one after another.

Although the writing itself seemed a bit forced, especially near the beginning of the book, I had a hard time putting this one down. In the end I give this book **** stars and highly recommend it to anyone who desires to learn more about the people in Pakistan and Afghanistan and the recent conflicts in this part of the world. Of course near the end of the book you will probably be ready to give your life savings over to the cause - I think this is one of the primary reasons the book was written...

For more information about Three Cups of Tea or CAI (Central Asia Institute) go to:

www.ikat.org
www.threecupsoftea.com

"Gods and Generals" by Jeff Shaara

2008-07-12T20:31:00.004-04:00

I just finished reading Gods and Generals by Jeff Shaara last night - it is part one of a series about the civil war. Michael Shaara, Jeff Shaara's father wrote Killer Angels which depicts the battle of Gettysburg (a Pulitzer prize winning book). Later Jeff Shaara wrote companion books - Gods and Generals that covers events before Gettysburg and The Last Full Measure that covers events after. Gods and Generals begins in November 1858 and covers some of the battles through June 1863. Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson are the main confederate soldiers in the book and on the side of the Union is that of Winfield Hancock and Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain.

The prose was well written and I enjoyed seeing the perspective of both sides of the war. However, before I read the next books in the series I need to take some time to better understand some military war lingo. I had a difficult time following the events in the battles and visualizing the battle grounds. Thankfully there were some very easy-to-follow maps depicting the placement and marching of soldiers. There were many names of Generals and Colonels thrown at me that I sometimes couldn't remember who was fighting on which side but I think by the end of the book I had it pretty much sorted out.

I was amazed at reading all of the blunders made by high-ranking Union generals during the first few years of the war. I'm afraid that if I don't read the next two books that history might be rewritten in my mind because right now I'm sure the Confederacy is going to win.

I recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about the Civil War and the lives of those who fought. But I do suggest you may need a dictionary or a lesson in military lingo before starting so that it is easier to follow.

"The Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis

2008-07-12T20:31:00.003-04:00

This book is comprised of several letters from one Screwtape, "a highly placed assistant to 'Our Father Below'" to his nephew, Wormwood, an amateur devil. What is found in the pages of these letters are various ways and means that the "Father Below" and his minion demons use to tempt humans to fall away from "the Enemy." It is important to note that anything Screwtape says is good is not good and anything he says is bad or of "the Enemy" is actually good. Got it?

The reader gets a twisted glimpse of the struggle of one unnamed man who Wormwood has been assigned to tempt. Screwtape's letters are written in response to letters written to him by his nephew Wormwood (the reader does not get to read Wormwood's letters). Usually, Screwtape begins by outlining some mistakes made by Wormwood in being able to tempt the man and then sets forth to explain how to be successful under the circumstances.

In the preface to the book, C.S. Lewis writes, "Readers are advised to remember that the devil is a liar. Not everything that Screwtape says should be assumed to be true even from his own angle." Remembering this advice was helpful in reading the letters because a lot of Screwtape's explanations seem as if they are made up on the spot to make himself seem superior to Wormwood.

C.S. Lewis wrote that this was the easiest of all his books to write but also the least satisfying. It gnawed on him and made it difficult to find enjoyment and feel peace while writing it. Reading the letters can be very burdensome because so many different sins and temptations are exploited; even seemingly small things that the devil has learned to work with to lead us astray. Lewis is not deterred by gross sin such as being unchaste and lays it out in decent but firm language. I found that I could only read about 1-3 chapters at a time even though they are very short in length. In a way it reminds me of the time I read The Miracle of Forgiveness by Spencer W. Kimball because I felt weighed down by every possible temptation I had ever succumbed to.

Here are some samples of the wisdom and advice from Screwtape the demon:

"It is funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds; in reality our best work is done by keeping things out."

"Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts."

"A spoiled saint, a Pharisee, an inquisitor, or a magician, makes better sport in Hell than a mere common tyrant or debauchee."

The edition of The Screwtape Letters that I own also has a short story added at the end that is entitled Screwtape Proposes a Toast. This takes place at a dinner of some sort where Screwtape gives an address to some graduating novice demons and makes a toast to the principal of the institution. It is 12 pages in length and very interesting reading about "democracy" and pride.

In the end, I highly recommend this book to anyone; it is well written (more better writed than my this here review) and well thought out. It can easily be read just a few chapters at a time and will leave you thinking about your motives and desires. Be ready to feel guilty sometimes during the course of reading this book - that is, unless you are completely naive or chillingly unremorseful.

"Mormon Scientist: The Life and Faith of Henry Eyring" by Henry J. Eyring

2008-07-12T20:30:00.005-04:00

So I was really sneaky and actually finished reading "Mormon Scientist" before "The Three Musketeers," but I promise to all of those who voted on my poll to finish it that I will.

First off I have to say that my husband and I read a book called "Reflections of a Scientist" together a few years ago. It is a compilation of talks given by the well renowned Mormon scientist by the name of Henry Eyring (not to be confused with his son and apostle, Henry B. Eyring). If you have worked much in the fields of physics or chemistry then you are probably familiar with his ART (Absolute Rate Theory) - I cannot properly describe this without much plagiarism, but it has to do with being able to predict the rate at which particles will react (check out what is happening at CERN in the near future and you will kind of get what I think I mean). Of course my husband, being the physicist/electrical engineer that he is knows all about Absolute Rate Theory. Henry Eyring was one of THE preeminent scientists of our time (being a contemporary of such scientists as Einstein, Heisenberg and Polanyi).

I realize I got way off topic. So anyway, we read "Reflections of a Scientist" together, which is now out of print, and it was very interesting and uproariously funny. It is a collection of talks that he (Henry Eyring) gave, mostly in church settings, sharing his views of science and religion, including his quick wit that he was famous for.

So when I saw that there was a new biography out on his life I didn't even think - I just ordered it right away! It is written by Henry J. Eyring (there are so many Henry Eyrings it is hard to keep track of), although much of the book includes excerpts from the scientists' letters and talks. This book was organized very differently from other biographies - it did not start with his grandparents, birth, youth, etc. Instead, the author broke the book into four parts: Legacy, Heritage, Paradoxes, and Testament. Each part was then subdivided into basic concepts that Henry Eyring believed in and shared with others. Along the way the reader does learn some of his early years and enough about his grandparents to make it interesting.

I have to admit I prefer the standard approach to a biography, but the subject was so interesting that I loved the book anyway. In the course of the book we read that Henry Eyring had a very strong belief that science and religion are not different at all - although not all has been revealed. The gospel includes everything that is true. I quote from pg. 53, "The gospel, then, is the search for truth, and there is only one truth - there is a God in Heaven, who, if He is God over the world and over the universe, certainly understands everything, and inside His mind there must be no contradiction."

Something that makes this book and subject approachable to all is that Henry Eyring had such a sharp wit and was constantly making himself the brunt of his own jokes. Near the end of his life the chemistry building at the University of Utah was named for him. His final comment at the end of the ceremonies for the new building was this: "I'll keep working as long as I can find my way to the chemistry building and somebody will let me in. Now that my name is on the building, it should be a lot easier." (pg. 286)

This is only a very small taste of the book. The most important aspect of the book was in reading his thoughts on faith and science. Also his encouragement while speaking to youth and college age students to educate themselves and to have a life-long love of learning - and to look forward to an eternity of progression and learning.

I give this book five * * * * * stars and highly recommend it to all, whether you agree with LDS "Mormon" doctrine or not. For more information go to mormonscientist.org

Doctrine and Covenants 130:18-19
"Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come."

"The Three Musketeers" by Alexandre Dumas

2008-07-12T20:30:00.003-04:00

This book has a reputation of being one of the most thrilling adventure stories ever! If that is the case I think I will steer clear from some of the other "most thrilling adventure stories ever!" This book was a 300 page story written in 626 pages (remember my thoughts on Jane Austen's Mansfield Park?).

One thing that I love about Alexandre Dumas is his satirical depiction of events and people (not as good as Charles Dickens but pretty close). My favorite part of the entire book takes place within the first few pages. As young d'Artagnan gets ready to go out into the world, his father, d'Artagnan senior, gives him some advice: "Never fear quarrels, and seek out adventures. I have taught you how to handle a sword. You have legs of iron and a wrist of steel. Fight duels on all occasions, the more so because duels are forbidden and consequently it takes twice as much courage to fight them." Maybe I'll give my kids some similar advice when they go away to college: "Never fear fist-fights and seek out frat parties. I have taught you how to handle a handgun (and a spatula). Speed through school zones, the more so because it is against the law and consequently it takes five times as much money to pay the speeding ticket." I think not - I do not want to end up on an episode of Jerry Springer.

I am not going to outline the plot for those of you who may want to read this book - I don't want to give away the predictable ending (one of the evil characters gets it in the end, and the rest of the hypocritical and immoral folks make out all right). Many more scroundrels are killed during the course of the book by our fine fighting duellists who always escape every danger presented them.

The Three Musketeers are Athos, Porthos and Aramis; three French men who are the King's Musketeers under the leadership of M. Treville (their Greek sounding names are obviously pseudonyms). D'Artagnan wishes to be a member of the Musketeers but begins in the ranks of D'Essarts guards to prove his worthiness. He is a youth of 19 or 20 years old, ready for adventure, seeking a mistress or two, and wanting nothing but to amass a fortune and have glory added to his name without having to work too hard (these are the kind of guys that I specifically avoided in college - I suggest the science majors). He is also a bit hot-headed. "Don Quixote took windmills for giants and sheep for armies; d'Artagnan took every smile for an insult and every look as a provocation."

All of the male characters in the book fight duels at the least incitement (something I noticed while reading The Count of Monte Cristo), drink themselves silly and write love letters to their mistresses. The ladies all bite their lips until blood is drawn and have regular fainting spells. There is not an obvious plot with a sensible climax. Instead it resembles rolling hills, one after another (short rolling hills). This book uses the tactic of making you want the bad guy or the immoral guy or the evil seductress to get through a sticky situation. The little reading I have done on Alexandre Dumas's life leaves me to believe that he was not one of the leading moralists of the 19th century.

The most interesting character (I think) is Milady de Winter (well, that is one of her names). SHE IS EVIL!!! It is interesting to see what tactics she comes up with to do away with men who have gotten on her bad side. Personally I find this kind of character pathetic - really just like a three-year-old having a tantrum most of the time.

Now here is the cherry on top - "It is woman who has ruined us all, and will ruin us all, as long as the world exists." This is the advice given to d'Artagnan from M. Treville when he makes plan to rescue his pseudo-mistress from captivity.

Here is my recommendation - overall the book was fairly entertaining but there were many SLOOOOOOW sections. I give it three *** stars out of five. Something that was very annoying during the book is that Dumas did not keep track of the timeline very well (he was such a prolific writer and was constantly working on numerous books and plays at a time). If you want to try out a book by Alexandre Dumas, I highly suggest the unabridged version of The Count of Monte Cristo.

Sorry my paragraphs don't make much sense. I tried to hurry my thoughts while my son was taking a nap - If I read this nonsense on someone else's blog I would be annoyed although I would probably keep it to myself. ;o)

Now I am reading The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. My church book club picked it out for May.

"Princess Academy" by Shannon Hale - A review by my daugher

2008-07-12T20:29:00.002-04:00

You should read "Princes Academy"! Miri, Britta, Katar, and some other girls are getting ready for the Prince Stefan to chose his bride when some bandits (which are basically robbers) come back to Mount Eskel and use the Princess Academy as their home for the winter. Miri figures how to get the village people to come and help them. You'll have to read it to find out the end.

I think Shannon Hale is a good writer. My mom and I read "Goose Girl" together. You should read that too.

*Just a comment from mom - these stories are written for youth readers (approx ages 11-15); they are both a little intense. When I read "Goose Girl" out loud to my daughter I edited a few things along the way.

"Mansfield Park" by Jane Austen

2008-07-12T20:28:00.001-04:00

Is it alright to admit that I don't like one of Jane Austen's books? Please censure me if you must. I recently read "Becoming Jane" by Jon Spence which is an interesting biography of Jane Austen, although I think the biographer was a little too liberal in his interpretation of her letters and her life in general; but in the course of this biography it was mentioned that Cassandra, Jane's sister, preferred "Mansfield Park" to the rest of her sister's novels. This peaked my interest and so I set out to read it. The beginning was quite witty and I was excited to get into it. I quote from page the first: "...there are certainly not so many men of large fortune in the world, as there are pretty women to deserve them." It sounded like a good start with the general sardonic humor that Jane is so good at writing.

I had seen a couple of movie versions and so I had a basic idea of the plot, though I knew the book would be more detailed, etc (by the way, I did NOT like the recent BBC version just made in 2oo7 starring Billie Piper as Fanny).

Here is my summary of the story:

Fanny Price, Austen's most uninteresting heroine ever, leaves her poor family at age ten to be raised by her rich relatives at Mansfield Park.
She has the hots for her cousin Edmund.
There is a play that takes up a third of the book.
Her cousins Maria and Julia run away with men at the end of the story (Maria is already married at the time).
A Mr. Crawford tries unsuccessfully to woo Fanny.
Edmund decides to love Fanny after he realizes that the woman he loved, named Mary Crawford, has some serious character flaws.

And it takes Austen 439 pages to tell all of this. I am generally a huge Austen fan; I love "Pride and Prejudice" and "Persuasion." One thing that is difficult about reading Jane Austen books is that during long sections of dialogue it sometimes becomes very difficult to tell which character is talking. I found this particularly difficult in this book because it just was not holding my attention. Unfortunately, a mechanical reading of this novel is all I can boast of. I was hoping to present my thoughts in a more sophisticated, essay like manner, but it took so long to read this book and many details are very sketchy in my mind, and besides, I don't want to put any more effort in thinking about this book!

My recommendation is this. If you must read "Mansfield Park" to say that you have read all of Jane Austen's novels, then go ahead, but don't expect me to join you. I don't think I'll pick it up again. I would love to hear your comments if you have read this book.

I know that my survey is not over yet, but the way it is going so far, it looks as if I should dive into "The Three Musketeers." I am going to close the poll early. So here it goes...

My daughter just finished reading "Princess Academy" by Shannon Hale and she would like to post her thoughts on this book so check back later to read her report!

"Rebecca" by Daphne DuMaurier

2008-07-12T20:27:00.002-04:00

I read the book "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier a few years ago and even listened to it on tape. This book is very interesting because you never find out the name of the narrator who is the main character of the story - she is referred to as the 2nd Mrs. De Winter but you never learn her first name. Rebecca is the deceased first wife of the 2nd Mrs. De Winter's husband, Maxim. Her name pervades the thoughts of story and of Manderley, the estate owned by Maxim De Winter. This book was one of the earliest and most popular ghost stories to come out of England (written in 1938), although there are not really any "ghosts" per se, but you feel a presence of two who are very jealous of the 2nd Mrs. De Winter; the deceased Rebecca and the housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, who was overly fond of Rebecca.

Check out the plot in detail and other info at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_(novel)

Alfred Hitchcock directed the movie "Rebecca" in 1940 which won the Best Picture at the Oscar's that year. If you can get a hold of a copy of the movie I highly recommend it. The cinematography is beautiful. It stars Joan Fontaine as the 2nd Mrs. De Winter.
One reason that I bring this book up is that last week I ordered a newer made-for-TV version (by the BBC) that was made in 1997. It stars Charles Dance and Emilia Fox. I wasn't so crazy about Charles Dance as Maxim (he looks way too old for the part and his face looks like leather) but further into the movie I liked him a little better. It was pretty good (I'll give it three starts) - it had a very light and fresh feel to it. The costumes were fun to see (the movie version is set in the year 1927). It is three hours long; broken into two 1 1/2 hour segments. (Just as a note, Peter could not stand it. He lasted about 45 minutes, but then we don't all have good taste in movies and books).

I was excited to read (and it may just be a rumor; I couldn't find anything too exclusive about it) that a new movie version of "Rebecca" is in production, starring Ralph Fiennes as Maxim De Winter. Peter will be so excited to be dragged to the movie theater with me to see it!