May 2024 Book Reports

Patterns for Life: An Orthodox Reflection on Charlotte Mason Education by Lisa Rose and Laura E. Wolfe - link to my post (gift copy from Kansas Dad)

The Ghost Keeper by Natalie Morrill - This was a second read (first read here), along with my book club. I enjoyed it as much or more than the first time through. Discussing it with my book club opened up even more thoughts and perspectives for me, so I do recommend reading it with a friend or a group. I haven't given it to my daughter to read. She's definitely old enough (eighteen year old senior), but very busy and tends to read much lighter things in her free time, which is fine with me. Like any book set in the time of World War II, there is violence, child loss, trauma, and heartbreak. (purchased used)

How I Discovered Poetry by Marilyn Nelson - I heard a poem from this book on the Poetry for All podcast and grabbed it from the library. The poems are set in the 1950s as a young African American girl grows into her early teen years, based loosely on the poet's own life as a young girl when her father was in the Army and they lived in many different places. They are readable and enjoyable, even though they cover some difficult topics. Recommended. (library copy)

The Expectation Effect: How Your Mindset Can Change Your World by David Robson - link to my post (library copy; then purchased a copy)

The Kate in Between by Claire Swinarski - This is a middle grade novel that explores social media, bullying, friendship, and relationships. It's surprisingly good. Kate is trying to figure out who she wants to be in middle school. Her parents are divorced, but her dad is a steadying and supporting influence. It's probably not great literature, but it does encourage the reader to ask questions about how we live in today's world. (library copy)

Seren of the Wildwood by Marly Youmans - Youmans is the author of Charis in the World of Wonders, one of my favorite books, so I immediately added this book to my wish list. It's a narrative poem intertwining myth and fairy tales. It's wonderful, but also weird and tragic. The book itself is gorgeous, and not just the cover. The poem's stanzas fit on facing pages, or sometimes a single page with woodcut-type illustrations. A well-made book is a treasure in a world that puts so many of our words on screens. My ability to understand or explain the poem is inadequate, but I found some useful and interesting reviews online: Front Porch Republic, Strange Horizons, and The Catholic World Report. I will definitely be reading it again. (received as a gift from my family)

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

Education, Parenting, Relationships, and Christ: Patterns for Life

Patterns for Life: An Orthodox Reflection on Charlotte Mason Education

by Lisa Rose and Laura E. Wolfe

Kansas Dad and I don't often buy each other gifts, even for Christmas and birthdays, but on a date night he noticed me eyeing this book and deciding not to buy it. He snuck back to the bookstore and bought it for me. I hadn't wanted to spend so much money on a book about Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education because we are nearing the end of our homeschooling days. 

I cannot tell you how glad I am Kansas Dad went back for it. This book is not only my favorite Charlotte Mason book ever, but honestly a book I think might be the best parenting book I've ever read. I now recommend this book repeatedly in my Charlotte Mason groups and think any new Charlotte Mason family should read it and Know and Tell as early in their homeschooling journey as possible.

The authors of this book are Orthodox, but their understanding of Charlotte Mason's philosophy and how it intersects with a life of faith is a Catholic one. Catholic readers will probably understand most of the religious references, more than Protestant ones, but I think the book is valuable for all Christians.

The authors believe there haven't been many books that clearly explain Charlotte Mason's ideas for modern readers. You can now easily find her original writings. One of my favorites to recommend is Karen Glass's Mind to Mind, in which she abridges Charlotte Mason's most important book, Towards a Philosophy of Education. There have actually been quite a few books written on Charlotte Mason's methods, most of which I've read, but I agree that Rose and Wolfe have done it more thoroughly and more beautifully than any of the others.

Modern society's methods and goals for education flow from and lead to a consumerist mentality that is completely at odds with the Christian ideas of the human person and the goals of a Godly life. The authors see Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education as an ideal alternative. In the first half of the book, they explain Charlotte Mason's philosophy of the human person and education. In the second half of the book, they show how that philosophy leads to methods we can employ as parents and educators. They also address some timely difficulties like the use of technology by our children and in our homes.

They spend a significant amount of time explaining the difference between the system of modern education, which the authors reject, and the "patterns for life" they have found in Charlotte Mason's philosophy shaped by their faith.

We want the instruction manual that tells us the exact steps to take, the exact books to read, the exact curriculum to use to produce the products that we want. That is precisely what Charlotte Mason refuses to give us. Instead, she models a slow, deliberate, and compelling way to think about our children, and this is why she differentiates between a 'system' of education and a 'method' of education. (pp. 17-18)

Charlotte Mason recognizes that children are "born persons." They have been created as unique individuals with the capacity to learn and grow. Honoring their dignity means the way of education is one of relationships and love.

As we focus on relationship, we also begin to understand that education happens from the inside out. The discovery and cultivation of relationships draws out of a person his or her own contribution to the connections formed; it brings out the music that always exists in the child as a unique person. A child's mind is the instrument of his education and as such is already functional. Our job, as parents and educators, is to help the child learn how to use this instrument to the best of his ability, how to keep it in tune, conforming to the pattern set forth for its use, all the while remembering the purpose of letting his particular melody sound forth. (p. 19)

One of the aspects I appreciate most about this book is the nuanced explanations and examples. They explain and model the ideal, but also encourage us to be compassionate with ourselves when we think we have failed.

There is a treasure in our hearts: the picture of a perfect homeschool day, the perfect homeschool week, the perfect homeschool year. It is precious and longed for. But it rarely, if ever, actually materializes. You must keep this in mind when you read these pages, or any parenting or education book for that matter. We are clay in the Potter's hands, not a finished project. And even when we are broken, He continues to work with us to His glory. (p. 156)

They also hold firm against the influencers and curriculum providers who lead us to believe their way is the best way for everyone. God has called us as individuals and families, and his will for our lives and those of our children may not be the same as his will for others. 

Rose and Wolfe have an intimate and thorough understanding of Charlotte Mason's philosophy and methods. They admire her and show how we can follow Mason's precepts today, but they do not idolize her or take all of her statements as Truth. They have carefully considered every aspect and clearly articulate areas where Mason's understanding was incomplete or where we have simply learned more about how the world works and how to be in relationship with one another. 

I whole-heartedly recommend this book. It's everything I ever wanted to say about Charlotte Mason and home education today.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Kansas Dad bought this book for me. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.

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)

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

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)

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

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)

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

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.