April 2024 Book Reports

Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh - I read this with my book club. It had probably been more than twenty years since I read it last, before I had children. I feel like it was a different read as a mother. I hadn't remembered he was married at all, let alone with children. Charles Ryder's complete disinterest and disregard for his children disgusted me. His assertion at the end that he had missed his opportunity to be a real father (which his kids are still relatively young) is also nonsense. I enjoyed reading the book; Evelyn Waugh is terrific. It was fun to talk about this book with my book club friends. (Kansas Dad's copy)

English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs - My kids are all teenagers, but I still read fairy tales or myths aloud regularly. We read them all, the weird ones, the disturbing ones, and (most of them) the funny ones. My kids love trying to predict what is going to happen. Living Book Press has good quality reprints of many older previously out of print books. (purchased copy)

The Mottled Lizard by Elspeth Huxley - This is a second volume Huxley's memoirs of her life growing up in Kenya during British colonial rule. Descriptions of African life are beautiful, but honest. It's also a fascinating glimpse into the mindset of British colonialists of the time between the World Wars. Expect a fair amount of racial stereotypes as well as the harsh realities of life at the edge of wilderness. I enjoyed this book but would definitely recommend The Flame Trees of Thika more for a younger reader than this one. (PaperBackSwap copy)

Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in My Soul by St. Maria Faustina - My oldest read selections from this as part of his religion reading his senior year of high school. I decided I'd read the whole book. It took me more than two years of slow reading (often at adoration). Of course, there is much value in the diary, but you should really think of it more as a primary source than a book to just sit and read. If St. Maria Faustina is one of your patron saints, you may find the entirety useful, but I think it would also be just fine to read a biography or other book about St. Maria Faustina that draws from the diary or shares excerpts. First Daughter (my second-oldest) hasn't read any yet, but I will assign selections during her senior year. (purchased copy)

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March 2024 Book Reports

The Art of Conflict Management: Achieving Solutions for Life, Work, and Beyond by Michael Dues (Great Courses audio lecture series) - When First Daughter and I met for lunch with a local lawyer to learn about law school and law careers, the lawyer recommended learning conflict management skills. I found this series of recorded lectures from the Great Books program to add to her civics course. The 24 lectures cover a wide range of strategies for understanding conflict and communicating within relationships (or as a mediator) to find win-win solutions. I personally found it helpful in my own relationships and thought it was a great addition to the civics course. (purchased audiobook)

A Severe Mercy: A Story of Faith, Tragedy, and Triumph by Sheldon Vanauken - I read this with my book club. It was my second time reading the book, and I still didn't like it. Vanauken writes of the tragic loss of his young wife to illness after their conversion to Christianity, a conversion he didn't experience fully until after her death. More than anything, I think their love was flawed from the beginning when they decided children would come between them, so they wouldn't have any (though I acknowledge that decision might have changed after they became Christians if Davy hadn't already been suffering from her long illness). I guess it seems like the book is inward focused rather than other-focused, which is odd for me for such a *Christian* book. My favorite part is the afterward in which the author reveals Davy gave a baby up for adoption before their marriage. It completely changed my perspective on Davy and made me wish to understand her better from her own point of view, rather than her husband's. Overall, I think there are better books exploring the meaning of our faith in the face of suffering. (purchased copy) 

Two in the Far North by Margaret E. Murie - Murie was the first female graduate of the University of Alaska in 1924. She married a biologist, Olaus Murie, and together they worked and traveled in the wilds of Alaska. In later years, they traveled all over the world. In this book, she writes lovingly of their adventures in Alaska and the wilderness. Sometimes she and her husband traveled and worked alone; other times with colleagues and even their children. I am not an adventurous woman, but I love to read these kinds of adventures. Murie's describes the natural world with joy and a great thankfulness to be a part of it, even when they struggled. This is a classic of the conservation movement. (an older edition from PaperBackSwap.com)

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibanez - This historical fantasy romance was recommended in a local book group I follow just when I was looking for a light read for between book club books, so I requested it from the library. A young woman travels to Egypt after hearing of her parents' tragic deaths and ends up attacked by those who seek to pillage Egypt of its ancient treasures. Honestly, I found the writing painful, the plot convoluted, and the characters uneven. I suffered through the book to give myself closure, only to be disappointed because the author is planning a sequel (or a series). (library book)

Transforming Your Life through the Eucharist by John A. Kane - I have recommended this a number of times since I first read it. I didn't find it quite as striking the second time through, but it's still a good solid book on the Eucharist. (purchased copy)

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February 2024 Book Reports

The Red Address Book by Sofia Lundberg - I came across this book at a library used bookstore. In this novel, an elderly Swedish woman, Doris, writes her life story in order to inspire her niece, Jenny, who is struggling in the throes of motherhood. It was an engrossing read, but ultimately not one I recommend. The woman's one true love is unreliable and untrustworthy, which always annoys me. And Doris mostly lives a selfish and self-centered life. (purchased used)

True Grit by Charles Portis - This was my book club book for February. It was such a fun read! I have a lot of questions about the reliability of Mattie Ross's account, not to mention reservations about her decisions, but thoroughly enjoyed the book. My book club chose the John Wayne version for our annual summer movie night, another fun event! (purchased copy)

O Pioneers! by Willa Cather - I love Cather's writing; I find it achingly beautiful, and love how it often reminds me of the landscapes of Illinois, my birth state, and Kansas, my current home. I am slowly collecting and reading all of her books. This novel is one of sacrifice, hard work, and tragedy. (PaperBackSwap.com)

Call the Doctor: A Country GP Between the Wars: Tales of Courage, Hardship and Hope by Ronald White-Cooper - This is a book of bits and pieces of writing by a British doctor collated and organized by his granddaughter and intermingled with letters he received from his patients. His personality shines through the candid stories. I didn't always like what he had to say, but it was honest. It's a fascinating book, a bit of primary source material, for anyone interested in British life and specifically the medical field in Britain in the interwar period (and a bit beyond). (purchased used)

Fides et Ratio by St. Pope John Paul II - This encyclical is scheduled in the Mater Amabilis lesson plans for Level 6 Year 2 (twelfth grade). I assigned it to First Daughter in eleventh grade because she had read one of the earlier ones. (We assigned some Vatican II documents her seniors year.) I love that encyclicals are included in the lesson plans. They become much less intimidating for students once they start reading them. I hope it helps them feel confident and interested enough to keep reading new ones after they go on to college. Fides et Ratio is such an important one for our times, as it discusses the relationship between faith and reason, something much misunderstood amongst many young people. (free on the Vatican website)

How to Listen to and Understand Great Music by Robert Greenberg (Great Courses audio lecture series) - link to my post (purchased audiobook)

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January 2024 Book Reports

The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas - I picked up this book at a library book sale and kept it to read because it's set in Kansas. If you love quilting or books set in the 1930s, you'll probably enjoy this book. There's a murder mystery, too, but it's not written like a detective novel. It's a fine book, good for some light reading. (purchased used)

Melal: A Novel of the Pacific by Robert Barclay - I picked up this book at a library sale and thought it might be a good option for a high school geography book. Shortly into the book, I began to feel quite anxious for the characters; a dread filled the pages. So many many terrible things happen in the book or there are references to the past, to colonialism and nuclear testing. The author lived on an island in the Pacific, so he knows more about myths of the area than I do. I can't say for certain that he got them all right, but it was interesting to read this novel about a convergence of myth and the modern world. I decided not to recommend it for high school geography reading because there are many upsetting incidents. It was certainly discomfiting for me to read as a privileged and safe American, but I think I'm glad I did. (PaperBackSwap.com)

The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim - On the recommendation of a friend, I listened to the audiobook version of this book when I needed something light. I desperately want to spend April in Italy now, though. (Audible)

Flight into Spring by Bianca Bradbury - Sally Day lives in Maryland during the Civil War, a state split it its loyalties between North and South, though her family supports the Union. She falls in love with a Yankee soldier and marries him after the war. The book tells of her struggles as a young wife relocated at a time when a move from Maryland to Connecticut meant culture shock. This would be a good book for an older teen who struggled with reading, as the reading level is more like middle grade but the content is light and innocent romance. (purchased copy)

Four Quartets by T. S. Eliot - I read this poem with my book club. I read each quartet, then listened to Eliot reading it. (There are recordings on YouTube.) This is a difficult work. The vocabulary is so extensive, I allowed myself to write in the book, jotting down definitions of all the words I had to look up. earning about his life and references to other works helped, too. I can see how you could return to this poem many times and find something new each time. (purchased copy)

Five Bushel Farm by Elizabeth Coatsworth - I read this when I needed something light and easy. It's the second book in the Sally series, set in colonial Maine. It's a sweet little story, full of happy coincidences. It also has its share of 1930s ideas about Native Americans The illustrations are by Helen Sewell, and perfectly delightful. (purchased copy)

Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt - I read this as a child, but decided to read it again before Second Son read it for school. I'm glad I did, because apparently I had it confused in my mind with a complete different book! Jethro lives most of him life in the shadow of the Civil War, with loved ones in both armies. It's an excellent book of historical fiction, bringing the war to life without overwhelming a young reader with too many horrors. (purchased copy)

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December 2023 Book Reports

 

Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World by Devorah Heitner - link to my post (library copy)

Enter a Murderer by Ngaio Marsh - I don't read many mysteries because I can never figure them out, but I enjoyed another one by Marsh so thought I'd read more. I didn't figure it out! But it was a fun read. (PaperBackSwap.com)

The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence - I read this book back in 2020, but this time read it with my book club. This book is easy to read in short snippets. It's also good to be reminded that we can (and should) turn to God throughout the day, that anytime our mind wanders, it would be better to pray than to pick up our phones. (purchased copy; I bought the Well-Read Mom edition, which is fine, but I find it frustrating that independent booksellers are not allowed to carry it, so I've linked to another edition.)

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon, Bookshop, and PaperBackSwap are affiliate links.

November 2023 Book Reports

All Hands On Deck: A Modern-Day High Seas Adventure to the Far Side of the World by Will Sofrin - I saw this at the library and thought it might be a good high school geography book. I liked how it described the discomforts, excitement, and working life of someone on an 18th century sailing ship, but I often found the author's personal life distracting. No offense to him, and it's about him on the ship, so that makes total sense. I also decided against using it or recommending it in our curriculum because there are references to drugs, romantic intimacy, swearing, and mature jokes. (library copy)

Great Myths of the World selected and retold by Padraic Colum - This book is scheduled in the Level 5 and 6 English lesson plans for Mater Amabilis (ninth, tenth, and eleventh grades). It works well in the curriculum because it gives the student a glimpse into tales from all over the world in short readings without overwhelming the lesson plans. It's a nice break from the Shakespeare, ancient epics, and Dante that dominate the first couple of years. (purchased copy)

Dracula by Bran Stoker - I read this with my book club. I had listened to the audiobook a few years earlier. (I have heard since that many authors mispronounce names in the audio versions; I don't know how my copy would compare.) I enjoyed reading it again and discussing it with my book club. (purchased copy, from my childhood, not the one linked)

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Bookshop and Amazon are affiliate links.

October 2023 Book Reports

Charis in the World of Wonders by Marly Youmans - This was the second time I read this book (first review here). This time I wasn't recovering from Covid and I was able to read it with my book club. I enjoyed it just as much. Charis is able to see the glory and beauty of Creation, and to feel God's loving presence, even in the midst of pain, suffering, and abandonment. I know she's not real, but she is my hero. (received as a gift)

I, Robot by Isaac Asimov - This was another re-read for me, but I hadn't read this one since I was in high school. It was thoroughly enjoyable. Writing this little review now, more than a year later, I am reminded that I wanted to read more of the robot books. Asimov is a master storyteller and a giant in the sci-fi genre. Everyone should read at least some of his books. (library copy)

Goodnight Mind: Turn Off Your Noisy Thoughts & Get a Good Night's Sleep by Colleen E. Carney, PhD, and Rachel Manber, PhD - This is a nice helpful book on the importance of sleep and the strategies for assessing your sleep and improving it. The part I remember best was the research that showed a person's impairment after a restless night is almost always not as bad as they thought it would be. I have felt so much freer when I can't fall asleep to stop worrying about it, and even sometimes to get up and read a book or watch a little show. I wanted to share it with my kids, but then I found one geared toward teens. I bought that one and my kids will read it as part of their high school Health course, but I actually haven't read it myself. I would also suggest recommending prayer to kids who can't sleep, which isn't mentioned in this book. (library copy)

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Music Appreciation: How to Listen To and Understand Great Music

How to Listen to and Understand Great Music by Robert Greenberg
(Great Courses audio lecture series)

This book has been recommended for many years as part of a Fine Arts credit for high school in Mater Amabilis (since the beta high school plans!).

It's a survey course in 48 lectures of all Western music with most of the focus on traditional classical music. I have generally scheduled twelve lectures each year. I recommended alternating them with weeks of listening to any of the pieces mentioned in the lectures. (We have Spotify, but you can use the library or whatever music streaming service you prefer. We even owned some of the pieces on CD.) Some of my kids listened to the whole pieces, but mostly they didn't feel it necessary. My three younger ones are all still taking piano lessons and play in a band (currently in twelfth, tenth, and eighth grades), so they are exposed to quite a bit of music in those ways as well.

Professor Greenberg is funny and only sometimes irreverent. The lectures are written for college students or adults, so there are sometimes references to more mature themes, but nothing I thought too scandalous for my high school students.

We have also really enjoyed his lectures Music as a Mirror of History.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon are affiliate links.

Parenting and Instagram: Growing Up in Public

Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World by Devorah Heitner, PhD

There were so many revelations for me in this book. Because our children are homeschooled, we have avoided much of the digital world. I even avoided a smartphone for many years after they became otherwise ubiquitous.

The author introduces some of the ways teenagers interact in the digital world, the mistakes they often make, how we as parents can address those mistakes, and how we can teach them to protect themselves.

The ramifications of digital everything can be overwhelming, but the advice on navigating these topics as parents was helpful.

We want to teach kids to do the right thing, not catch them doing the wrong thing. (p. 12)

In fact, I found many of them helpful for non-digital issues as well.

We never want our kids to be so afraid of getting in trouble or of being humiliated that they keep secrets--that make them even more vulnerable to exploitation. (p. 196)

The book contains a good list of considerations for posting photos and videos and other digital interactions. It also has good recommendations of things parents and teens can actually do. There are numerous references to transgender issues and gender identities, which some parents will find more useful than others.

Overall, I found this a helpful book.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. I borrowed this book from the library. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.

September 2023 Book Reports

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, written by Himself - This classic of American history is now one of our assigned books in American history. (You could also include it in civics readings.) I assign it in Level 5 Year 2 (tenth grade) in addition to the Mater Amabilis readings. (purchased used)

The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm: Tales from Alagaesia by Christopher Paolini - I'm a new Inheritance Cycle fan and had to check this book out from the library. The stories are fun little dips back into Eragon's world. (library copy)

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens - I love Dickens! David Copperfield is an orphan who seeks his own fortune, sometimes making mistakes, but always meeting interesting people, some of which turn out to better or worse friends than you might first suspect. This book is assigned in the Mater Amabilis lesson plans in Level 6 Year 1 (eleventh grade). My daughter and I both got so invested in the story we couldn't limit ourselves to the assigned readings. (purchased used) (The inked copy is not the one I own, but is probably a safe edition. Be cautious in your edition; many of the reprints are poor quality.)

Seek that Which is Above by Pope Benedict XVI - This is one of the recommended spiritual reading books for Mater Amabilis in Level 6 Year 1 (eleventh grade). It's the shortest of the recommended books and a good option for a student that wants to complete the readings at adoration. (purchased used)

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.