tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28738996644174007722024-03-13T23:39:17.578-05:00Our Home on the RangeLiving, playing, learning, and praying on our bit of range in Kansas.Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comBlogger2668125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-63167368633358841422024-01-31T07:00:00.001-06:002024-01-31T07:00:00.143-06:00Conversion of the Heart and Mind: Apologia Pro Vita Sua<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlxmNjRLE5G-iY7gPdm379DoW1UXKaGep_MYqWOBoyaFl84iGfBUYwxNrVswjOgR4h6lZdOByv_eCcBj2pzH12oYYxuKDoMHlcAhZauY7Cf8-JSP9x4nO004rPdS0wUja44VO2_X2FZrivHfhasW1jtqX8WZayZTHihZTth7IepH8HW11nS_Evndsibec/s466/7106s4HXv5L._SY466_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="304" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlxmNjRLE5G-iY7gPdm379DoW1UXKaGep_MYqWOBoyaFl84iGfBUYwxNrVswjOgR4h6lZdOByv_eCcBj2pzH12oYYxuKDoMHlcAhZauY7Cf8-JSP9x4nO004rPdS0wUja44VO2_X2FZrivHfhasW1jtqX8WZayZTHihZTth7IepH8HW11nS_Evndsibec/s320/7106s4HXv5L._SY466_.jpg" width="209" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://amzn.to/47AwYN5" target="_blank">Apologia Pro Vita Sua</a></i> </div><div style="text-align: center;">by St. John Henry Cardinal Newman</div><p></p><p>This book is recommended for <a href="https://materamabilis.org/ma/high-school/high-school-religion/" target="_blank">Level 6 Year 2 in the Mater Amabilis high school religion plans</a> (twelfth grade). It's one of the three books currently in the lesson plans of readings by modern saints. St. John Henry Newman is one of our family's patron saints, so I was excited to read this book.</p><p>St. John Henry Newman threw the English religious world into turmoil when he, a revered intellectual and leader in the Anglican church, converted to Roman Catholicism, a faith viewed with particular patriotic contempt. In the years after his conversion, Newman struggled through the loss of many friends and skepticism from many in his new faith. </p><p>Finally, in response to a personal attack on his integrity and that of his new faith, Newman decided a thorough response was necessary, one which meant sharing the development of his faith from childhood through his rise in the Anglican church and his eventual conversion. He gathered as many of his personal letters and writings as he could and published it all in an astoundingly short amount of time. The result, through a couple of revisions, is <i>Apologia Pro Vita Sua</i>. The edition I read is that edited by Ian Ker, which contains much of the original content, such as the pamphlet from his most prominent accuser which prompted the book.</p><p>Newman spent years reading and praying, on the brink of converting but hesitating. His <i>Apologia</i> offers some explanation for his reticence.</p><blockquote><p>I could not continue in this state, either in the light of duty or of reason. My difficulty was this: I had been deceived greatly once; how could I be sure that I was not deceived a second time? I thought myself right then; how was I to be certain that I was right now? ... To be certain is to know that one knows; what inward test had I, that I should not change again, after that I had become a Catholic? (p. 206)</p></blockquote><p>So, like the rest of us, he decided to write a book (Essay on Doctrinal Development) and, if he felt the same way when he was done, he'd become a Catholic. </p><p></p><blockquote>And I hold this still: I am a Catholic by virtue of my believing in a God; and if I am asked why I believe in a God, I answer that it is because I believe in myself, for I feel it impossible to believe in my own existence (and of that fact I am quite sure) without believing also in the existence of Him, who lives as a Personal, All-seeing, All-judging Being in my conscience. (p. 182)</blockquote><p>Newman's early years as a Catholic were difficult ones. Many of his friends and family abandoned him. Many Catholics were wary of him. His first endeavors as a Catholic ended in failure or mediocrity, but he never looked back and trusted always in the Lord who had been leading him all along.</p><p></p><p>I read the book and the appendices. I assigned the book itself to my oldest when he was a senior. He struggled at times with all the different groups of people, because Newman writes to an audience who knew all the people and all the controversies. I think there might be benefit in reading the papers and essays going back and forth in order, so you would read what others wrote and then how Newman responded, but it's hard to always sort that out in the book. (If you've read Charlotte Mason's books, you'll find the same sort of essay writing here; where the author is obviously responding to something or someone specific, but modern readers are a bit in the dark.) The Introduction of this edition of the <i>Apologia</i> also has some background, but I hadn't thought to assign it to my son; that might be a good idea. It's really only a problem when Newman is describing the activities of the Tractarians and the responses to his conversion. When Newman is writing about himself and his own thoughts, the book is clear.</p><p>When my son was reading it, we paused reading a few chapters in to read Joyce Sugg's <i><a href="https://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2022/06/oxford-at-time-of-newman-john-henry.html" target="_blank">John Henry Newman: Snapdragon in the Wall</a>, </i>which was helpful in providing Newman's basic background and some context for the <i>Apologia</i>. I plan to assign Sugg's book to my future kids, but it could also be a good family read-aloud.</p><p>If your high school student struggles a little with dense texts, you could assign Sugg's book and some excerpts of the <i>Apologia. </i>That would still provide an excellent foundation for learning about Newman's life.</p><p>A friend of mine especially loves reading St. John Henry Newman because he wrote in English. For those of us used to reading the words of saints through a translation, it's a great blessing to read such rich and beautiful prose in our own language. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, even if it was sometimes a challenge.</p><p><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this post. I purchased this book. Links to Bookshop and Amazon are affiliate links.</i></p>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-77929923593389779352024-01-29T07:00:00.000-06:002024-01-29T07:00:00.147-06:00Be the Good: Therese<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_c8vzgMlyOWoNTRL-Yx2Ad285MLhRYSP92IiVSk6UNRc6v5uyYDbcQq0gWzjfvJg5XSo1bzE-ZIp9iZXPP_1OrRrQtV4UXh1ptZ-sKrCGLRwnz5gscQR_73vrmmegn8fCOvN9h8eXrSnUi178ZZUnTYNrU7IT-oX4-xYxTAT2UKDpDGYxX_wUpYDfhI/s400/9780870613067.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_c8vzgMlyOWoNTRL-Yx2Ad285MLhRYSP92IiVSk6UNRc6v5uyYDbcQq0gWzjfvJg5XSo1bzE-ZIp9iZXPP_1OrRrQtV4UXh1ptZ-sKrCGLRwnz5gscQR_73vrmmegn8fCOvN9h8eXrSnUi178ZZUnTYNrU7IT-oX4-xYxTAT2UKDpDGYxX_wUpYDfhI/s320/9780870613067.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780870613067" target="_blank">Therese</a><br />by Dorothy Day</p><p>I read this with my book club and did purchase the Well-Read Mom edition from Ave Maria Press. The design of this book is beautiful - lovely cover, good margins, nice quality paper. I do think it's odd that it seems to be only available through Ave Maria Press's website. I stopped by a local Catholic bookstore to find a different book in the Well-Read Mom edition and was told they were not allowed to carry it in stores, even though they wanted it and had people asking for it. It would be so nice to be able to buy all the book club books from a local brick-and-mortar store. I've linked the one from the same publisher which you can find online, which seems to have everything except the Well-Read Mom portions.</p><p>Surprisingly, my favorite parts of this book were the forward and the afterward. In these, Robert Ellsberg (in the foreword) and John Cavadini (in the Afterword), draw a direct connection between Dorothy Day's advocacy for peace and St. Therese's little way. </p><blockquote><p>From Therese, Day learned that each sacrifice endured in love, each work of mercy, might increase the balance of love in the world. She extended this principle to the social sphere. Each protest or witness for peace--though apparently foolish and ineffective, no more than a pebble in a pond--might send forth ripples that could transform the world. (p. ix)</p></blockquote><p>Dorothy Day wrote that St. Therese's shower of roses, her spiritual force, and presumably the works offered by all those who try to follow her little way, rise up against the fears and horrors of the twentieth century.</p><blockquote><p>We know that one impulse of grace is of infinitely more power than a cobalt bomb. Therese has said, "All is grace." (p. 192)</p></blockquote><p>John Cavadini continues in a similar way. He says these blessings challenge the lie that Love will fail.</p><p>If I had encountered this idea before, that St. Therese's Little Way was more than just a way for us to grow in virtue, that it could combat the evil of the world one little good deed at a time, I had forgotten it. As a homeschooling mother who does little more than one little good deed at a time, this is an important lesson.</p><p><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.</i></p>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-28043723344081305242024-01-26T07:00:00.001-06:002024-01-26T07:00:00.141-06:00February 2023 Book Reports<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYMMVx6TNemgSZiYMDXYw-Xilov4vfQF25h96m4wfve9wjohT7UnMkxsHl58IM426trTV5pPYgO1IhwQf1c2roYy3eEAW3kfF9ZST80XbGkwp5foIqRRJhvCSX_FzAd2Rp3wGG5ZYulJgIbKmu0zdTswV6uZw3TkFUP5vqNrqvGdWJFYAf3SGQEnm3sOY/s750/BookReports_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="750" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYMMVx6TNemgSZiYMDXYw-Xilov4vfQF25h96m4wfve9wjohT7UnMkxsHl58IM426trTV5pPYgO1IhwQf1c2roYy3eEAW3kfF9ZST80XbGkwp5foIqRRJhvCSX_FzAd2Rp3wGG5ZYulJgIbKmu0zdTswV6uZw3TkFUP5vqNrqvGdWJFYAf3SGQEnm3sOY/s320/BookReports_06.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9781934609842" target="_blank">A Man Lay Dead</a> </i><span style="text-align: left;">by Ngaio Marsh - Based on a recommendation from a good friend, I requested this book from another member at PaperBackSwap.com. I don't read many mysteries, but this was a fun little book to distract me at the end of stressful days of unpacking at a new house. (</span><a href="https://www.paperbackswap.com/index.php?n=14&r_by=bllHVE9LYTMwM3BteTg4QVE4NnFxdlY4c0FVQ29sSmp4K2d4ekx3Mk05M29NTVU5Z3VoY0luSWFNNnNhNndEeQ==" style="text-align: left;">PaperBackSwap.com</a><span style="text-align: left;">)</span></div><p><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3HfsiS0" target="_blank">They Loved to Laugh</a></i> by Kathryn Worth - This book is one of the many historical fiction reprints from Bethlehem Books. I wanted to love it. I chose it to read because I wanted something relaxing and easy during our move. Sadly, I think it hasn't aged very well. There were far too many remarks about how women shouldn't be too smart or too educated. The delightful heroine was chastised for bothering to learn French, painting, and how to play an instrument. I'm fully in support of learning how to bake bread and cook well, but there's also value in culture. Worst of all, the young men of the Gardner household practically abuse her with practical jokes from the beginning of her time with them, when her parents have only been dead a few weeks. I was a little horrified. There is one delightful chapter on the raising of silkworms, but it is not enough to redeem the book for me. (purchased new)</p><p><i><a href="https://bethlehembooks.com/product/judith-lankester/" target="_blank">Judith Lankester</a> </i>by Marjorie Hill Allee - Judith's mom frees the slaves and moves the family to her father's Quaker home. Judith is angry and resentful; she wants to return to her grandmother's house and a life of ease. Instead, she moves in with another Quaker family and begins to learn how to care for herself, a home, and a family. It's a sweet story of growth and virtue. (purchased new)</p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780670033041" target="_blank">East of Eden</a></i> by John Steinbeck - I was excited to see this on the book club list, because it had been on my shelf for many years, but I hadn't yet read it. Now that I have, I can fairly confidently say, I do not like reading books by John Steinbeck. He's brilliant and writes beautifully, but it all seems to have such a sardonic unhappy tone. This book is supposed to be a kind of retelling of the story of Cain and Abel with two sets of brothers in two generations, but the man who is supposedly the best person anyone has ever met is a dreadful father, and I just can't believe a person is truly good who so completely fails at his primary vocation. I spent most of the book angry at him. Everyone should read one or two books by John Steinbeck; he's a master novelist and an influential American literary figure, but I will not be seeking out any more of his books myself. (purchased used)</p><p><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon, Bookshop, and PaperBackSwap are affiliate links.</i></p>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-40128365284773002692024-01-24T07:00:00.001-06:002024-01-24T07:00:00.252-06:00A Hundred Years Ago in New Zealand: The Drovers Road Collection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRcCdBgeQlt5Z_6ktshHVl610YnjFkKJ3YylOZVxEJwVgr8Q3iqr9_buWNdH85IfQhyu0HRzZ1EeksUsDs4uQM5LIMtziuM1HqvMC23aWtHhcvVYcESRlUCqqonTxaKcXV9DYK4fYN2FXVPkHCd4wQ1G0ZZts9P0bUDZcSnZAGeUSGdx4HcnIzIVyq1Ps/s466/51zm-CViPoL._SY466_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="297" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRcCdBgeQlt5Z_6ktshHVl610YnjFkKJ3YylOZVxEJwVgr8Q3iqr9_buWNdH85IfQhyu0HRzZ1EeksUsDs4uQM5LIMtziuM1HqvMC23aWtHhcvVYcESRlUCqqonTxaKcXV9DYK4fYN2FXVPkHCd4wQ1G0ZZts9P0bUDZcSnZAGeUSGdx4HcnIzIVyq1Ps/s320/51zm-CViPoL._SY466_.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3tJaQm1" target="_blank">The Drover's Road Collection</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">by Joyce West</div><p></p><p>This collection includes three books: <i><a href="https://amzn.to/47wGm4t" target="_blank">Drovers Road</a>, <a href="https://amzn.to/3vAFM8o" target="_blank">Cape Lost</a>, </i>and <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3vw9H1J" target="_blank">The Golden Country</a> </i>(audiobook linked for the third)<i>. </i>This edition is out of print, but Bethlehem Books has reprinted the three books individually and has audiobooks available as well. (The audiobooks are narrated by an Englishwoman. She has a lovely voice, based on the sample, but it would have been so fun to hear them narrated by someone from New Zealand.)</p><p>These books share the adventures of Gay Allan, a lively child who grows to adulthood and inherits a ranch in 1920s and 1930s in New Zealand. After her parents divorced, she went to live with her uncle, who had already taken in the three children of his oldest brother after a tragic car accident. Their lives are not tragic, though. They are filled with love for each other, delight in their land, and plenty of excitement (and hard work). </p><p>I was captivated by these books. New Zealand is about as far away from Kansas as you can get and still be on earth, so I loved reading about this wild and faraway land. Gay and her cousins ramble about the land and getting into mischief. More than anything, I loved how much they care for each other, even when they had their disagreements.</p><p>There are a few interactions with and references to Maori people that might feel awkward today, but for the most part they are treated with respect.</p><p>I picked this book from our shelves because I wanted something heart-warming, and it was perfect. The reading level is a little light for high school, but I still think you could use one of these books for high school geography. (The third might be a good option.)</p><p><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affilliate links.</i></p>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-29367522035481298992024-01-19T07:00:00.000-06:002024-01-19T07:00:00.137-06:00Friends on a Mission: The Ranger's Apprentice series<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1Ky3RnpgGnh0QHn3M4hyphenhyphenxwaRJhdcjY0SC3nIR5hLKkBthclc6e6LnP_SoDZX0CsWJDgqxkqbJ5SDDkXJRrhU4yUULlvk2meLdpENC5QtNjNRsUzYYxYmp9J8ewMPUEtQjkXhWn0gv4Zj5HzXxWhyGnp9KBZJUh6kaVmwdvmR0f7E9KcFv4pNok0camw/s281/Screenshot%202024-01-08%20225711.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="80" data-original-width="281" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1Ky3RnpgGnh0QHn3M4hyphenhyphenxwaRJhdcjY0SC3nIR5hLKkBthclc6e6LnP_SoDZX0CsWJDgqxkqbJ5SDDkXJRrhU4yUULlvk2meLdpENC5QtNjNRsUzYYxYmp9J8ewMPUEtQjkXhWn0gv4Zj5HzXxWhyGnp9KBZJUh6kaVmwdvmR0f7E9KcFv4pNok0camw/s1600/Screenshot%202024-01-08%20225711.png" width="281" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">The Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan</p>Last January, we decided to buy a house with my mother-in-law which meant packing two houses and selling one. (We sold ours later.) It was...stressful. I felt like I needed an escape book, one that would entertain but be easy on the brain. I asked my older daughter for a recommendation, and she suggested the Ranger's Apprentice series, which has been a favorite of hers for years. Wonderful! Not just one book, but eleven! (There is a twelfth, but it's a prequel, and I didn't read that one.) <div><br /></div><div>It seems unnecessary to link to every book in the series. You can find the first three in the <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780142411735" target="_blank">Ranger's Apprentice Collection</a>. My daughter originally checked them out of the library, but now she owns them all.<br /><div><br /></div><div>These books were just what I needed - easy to read (probably middle grade reading level), heart-warming adventures. The books follow Will and his friends as they embark on careers in a Middle Ages alter-universe. Will becomes a Ranger, which means he protects the kingdom by learning the arts of secrecy like hiding in plain sight and gleaning information from observation and innocent conversations, but also negotiations. He gathers friends about him who become his family. He travels to distant lands (where there are cultures that seem surprisingly like those from our world). Everywhere he goes, he strives to be true to himself and his country. And, of course, everything always works out in the end.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's not great literature, but I loved every book.</div><div><br /></div><div>John Flanagan has written some spin-off books as well, which are definitely on my list. I just needed to take some time off to unpack. I also decided reading a recommendation from First Daughter went so well, I'd ask my other kids for recommendations as well.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this post. My daughter loaned me the books. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.</i></div>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-62204020460802001892024-01-17T07:00:00.003-06:002024-01-17T07:00:00.136-06:00December 2022 Book Reports<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0aAY75TSfZHwZHDbazrt2CT4hzZU0RdcQaDbQu9i_BJ0j-W4eRy1gD4fhDejw0_m9ujezKU5Xug93fT5lwwsb-htxdtzSETjSL-YkL7Krw6oWHhmfJglzzMHCKNcPDgRrVbYGB9mQK4Eqp02vqctJBUst7y812agumHMYCwyE2YrYYJUq3UkAHEphUgk/s5152/BookReports_11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5152" data-original-width="3864" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0aAY75TSfZHwZHDbazrt2CT4hzZU0RdcQaDbQu9i_BJ0j-W4eRy1gD4fhDejw0_m9ujezKU5Xug93fT5lwwsb-htxdtzSETjSL-YkL7Krw6oWHhmfJglzzMHCKNcPDgRrVbYGB9mQK4Eqp02vqctJBUst7y812agumHMYCwyE2YrYYJUq3UkAHEphUgk/s320/BookReports_11.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780824514952" target="_blank">The History of Black Catholics in the United States</a> </i>by Cyprian Davis - <a href="https://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2024/01/hard-truths-history-of-black-catholics.html" target="_blank">link to my post</a> (purchased copy)</p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780743253970" target="_blank">A Separate Peace</a></i> by John Knowles - I was reminded of this book when I recently read <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9781501142468" target="_blank">The Chosen</a></i> by Chaim Potok, a story of the friendship between two young men during World War II. I read <i>A Separate Peace</i> in high school, but didn't remember it well. The friendship in <i>A Separate Peace</i> is more volatile and uncertain. The book is less satisfying in its conclusion, though perhaps it better exemplifies the feelings of many of the young men who were preparing for war even as they completed their usual high school studies. If you're only going to read one, read <i>The Chosen</i>. (library copy)</p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780316334754" target="_blank">The Girl with All the Gifts</a> </i>by M. R. Carey - I selected this book from the library because I thought it would be a nice easy read for visiting my parents over the holidays. Not that I generally recommend zombie-esque dystopian books for Christmas reading, but it was the kind of book I thought I could read while kids tumbled and roared around me. The main protagonist is a young girl at a special school, learning about a world she never sees or experiences for herself because much of it has fallen into ruin and (essentially) enemy hands. After her world turns upside down and inside out, she travels with a few companions toward an unknown destiny - for herself and the world. I was so engrossed in the book, I hid in my bedroom to finish it while the rest of the family watched football, long before we left for my parents' house. Not for the faint of heart, but a surprisingly well-written and enjoyable horror tale. (library copy) </p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780142406632" target="_blank">The Ruins of Gorlan: Book One</a> </i>in the Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan - I'm going to make a post about the whole series soon. (borrowed from my daughter)</p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9781402732638" target="_blank">The Girl Who Helped Thunder and Other Native American Folktales</a></i> retold be James Bruchac and Joseph Bruchac - link to my post (purchased used)</p><p><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon, Bookshop, and PaperBackSwap are affiliate links.</i></p>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-59230711742183424142024-01-15T07:00:00.001-06:002024-01-15T07:00:00.148-06:00Native American Tales: The Girl Who Helped Thunder<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJXFN63Gw7twh_kYhz4TPrzVUrBD2YzN1uCz1wW1P7Zqt4QqzUJMgai2tXZhQr0l3DF2zwSroxC1PDKWOrmBs_pt9impOzwAQlcdLbpovzwEOdwr2l2g3vpTCkm2jF6OzQ-HNSGniD1byOlV9VzY9gfPX5BWcAeXbdTfAzKA-pvpudcwZQUuiE7biYT8U/s400/thunder.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="306" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJXFN63Gw7twh_kYhz4TPrzVUrBD2YzN1uCz1wW1P7Zqt4QqzUJMgai2tXZhQr0l3DF2zwSroxC1PDKWOrmBs_pt9impOzwAQlcdLbpovzwEOdwr2l2g3vpTCkm2jF6OzQ-HNSGniD1byOlV9VzY9gfPX5BWcAeXbdTfAzKA-pvpudcwZQUuiE7biYT8U/s320/thunder.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9781402732638" target="_blank">The Girl Who Helped Thunder and Other Native American Folktales</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">retold by James Bruchac and Joseph Bruchac</div><p></p><p>A few years ago, the moderators added tales to the English and literature recommendations for Levels 3 and 4 at <a href="https://materamabilis.org/ma/" target="_blank">Mater Amabilis</a>. We wanted a book of Native American tales for <a href="https://materamabilis.org/ma/level-4/" target="_blank">Level 4</a>. While the tales themselves come from a time before 20th century history (which is the focus for Level 4), the way we communicate and form relationships with Native Americans (as mainly descendants of Europeans), is an important topic for the 20th century.</p><p>I hold James Bruchac and Joseph Bruchac in high esteem. They are masterful story-tellers who treat us all, protagonist and reader alike, with respect and kindness. </p><p>This book is generally highly recommended by the thoughtful contributors of the Facebook group, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1959045184365402" target="_blank">Living Books of All Peoples</a>, which is a treasure-trove of helpful information and resources. I cannot recommend it highly enough to all parents.</p><p>The tales in this book are from a number of different cultural groups, organized by geographic area. It's beautifully illustrated by Stefano Vitale. As usual, the Bruchacs have chosen tales to delight the reader. They are a bit short and easy to read for a Level 4 student (eighth grade), but the history in Level 4 is so difficult, it's important to mix in some easy and uplifting lessons as well.</p><p>Overall, I'm so pleased we added this book to the curriculum!</p><p><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this post. I purchased the book used. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.</i></p>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-58728323427578491742024-01-12T07:00:00.001-06:002024-01-12T07:00:00.165-06:00November 2022 Book Reports<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKhH2nhcontZE99bH4mq5bDtIYcNzwHRMiV-BpZhZGeoBGrFWQ_W7tou9YQ5zf3zmG_Kh4XRxqEQi-YjCne5lQ9qF44bl8KeYkFTtn4sNsa111kr_v_3_jTqdZpS-wnytTdkJjJbRxJBmvGdbw5EvFaLrJ6810sGVPYJIxgrf6LQEBHC9eVhkX_ku-p8/s750/BookReports_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="750" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKhH2nhcontZE99bH4mq5bDtIYcNzwHRMiV-BpZhZGeoBGrFWQ_W7tou9YQ5zf3zmG_Kh4XRxqEQi-YjCne5lQ9qF44bl8KeYkFTtn4sNsa111kr_v_3_jTqdZpS-wnytTdkJjJbRxJBmvGdbw5EvFaLrJ6810sGVPYJIxgrf6LQEBHC9eVhkX_ku-p8/s320/BookReports_04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9781528703826" target="_blank">The Tenant of Wildfell Hall</a></i> by Anne Bronte - I had read this book a few years before we had kids, so it had been almost twenty years when I read it again with my book club. It seemed a little more trite to me this time around, though generally I think the main protagonist is a much more virtuous person than I would have been in her situation. (read free Kindle copy)</p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780593136966" target="_blank">Out of Many, One: Portraits of America's Immigrants</a> </i>by George W. Bush - <a href="https://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2022/12/immigrants-today-out-of-many-one.html" target="_blank">link to my post</a> (borrowed copy from my dad) </p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780307276766" target="_blank">A Mercy</a></i> by Toni Morrison - I read this as I was deciding on an African American literature selection for senior year. This book presents the stories of a single 1680s household from the differing perspectives of the master, mistress, and slaves. It is often difficult to read, both because the text can be challenging and because the events are harsh and tragic. Few people of privilege, wealth, or power are portrayed positively. But it is beautifully written. I think a high school senior could read it, though some will struggle in understanding some of the voices. There are also some pointed criticisms of Catholics that, while I think they are valid, would need context for a teenage Catholic reader. That is all in addition, of course, to all the content considerations you might imagine: rape, violence, slavery, witchcraft, intimacy outside of marriage and with people of the same gender, etc. (library copy)</p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780553575385" target="_blank">To Say Nothing of the Dog</a></i> by Connie Willis - This was my second time through this audiobook and I loved it just as much as the first time. I picked up on many more of the jokes this time through because I had recently listened to Jerome K. Jerome's original travelogue, <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9781514840078" target="_blank">Three Men in a Boat</a></i>. <a href="https://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2020/03/february-2020-book-reports.html" target="_blank">Back in 2020</a>, I wrote:</p><blockquote><p>This may be my favorite audiobook of all time. I enjoyed every single minute of it, invented chores so I could listen to it, and was both delighted with the ending and sorry it was over. It's a quirky tale of time-travel, Victorian England, the Blitz, and romance, "to say nothing of the dog" (and cat). (purchased from Audible during a sale)</p></blockquote><p> I'm sure the book is good, but the audiobook is an absolute delight.</p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780062073495" target="_blank">Murder on the Orient Express</a></i> by Agatha Christie - I've never been much of a mystery reader; I can never guess the murderer! But so many people rave about Agatha Christie, I thought I'd give a few of her books a try. I enjoyed this one, though of course I didn't figure out the solution until it was revealed. (library copy)</p><p><i>Leona</i> by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino - I was looking on PaperBackSwap for books by this author because I love her book <i><a href="https://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2021/05/making-monterrey-home-my-heart-lies.html" target="_blank">My Heart Lies South</a>. </i>This little out of print book about a brave but often over-looked woman in Mexico's history was available. It's written at about a middle school level, though the romance means it might be more interesting to older children. I enjoyed it, but I don't know that you have to seek it out. (received from another member of PaperBackSwap.com)</p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780060838676" target="_blank">Their Eyes Were Watching God</a></i> by Zora Neale Hurston - <a href="https://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2022/12/janies-choice-their-eyes-were-watching.html" target="_blank">link to my post</a> (library copy)</p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780062244987" target="_blank">Two Old Women: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival</a></i> by Velma Wallis - I read this with my book club. The story tells of the perseverance of two women left alone in the Alaskan wilderness, the revival of their skills to survive, and the flourishing of their friendship. It's also a story of the healing of family relationships. I added this book to my Geography of the Americas shelf in case any high schoolers want to select it as a free-read (Level 5 or Level 6). (purchased used)</p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780486216744" target="_blank">The Yellow Fairy Book</a></i> edited by Andrew Lang - I have read fairy tales aloud to all my kids regularly since the very beginning of our homeschooling journey, but we don't read one every day, or even every week, so it can take a long time to get through a book. Fairy tales seem to be enjoying something of a moment, especially in the homeschooling crowd, but nothing can teach you about the wonderful and the weird as much as reading through a collection from beginning to end. I picked something different to read aloud after this one, but I'm considering returning to the <i>Blue Fairy Book</i> after that because my younger kids don't remember it. (purchased used)</p><p><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.</i></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-11103052543429214272024-01-10T07:00:00.004-06:002024-01-10T07:00:00.141-06:00Hard Truths: The History of Black Catholics in the United States<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtrm7Xd7Fa0QUxipLphkZQ7dPKjcaVT5lIt03G8bz4-fS7WrcpJ3kcMVDGF7jd-oOllOJ4cQ-mGEMCR1LW9_PkslxTERD1iN2eDbjWHLYpgE9vx6x2SQ-LY0ityM-MYxujkzHc4ZmadNSr-2L2faKFPDAJUZw26ehW5VDdKFcOXzQmHREa12xoqcU9gAI/s502/black%20catholics.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="337" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtrm7Xd7Fa0QUxipLphkZQ7dPKjcaVT5lIt03G8bz4-fS7WrcpJ3kcMVDGF7jd-oOllOJ4cQ-mGEMCR1LW9_PkslxTERD1iN2eDbjWHLYpgE9vx6x2SQ-LY0ityM-MYxujkzHc4ZmadNSr-2L2faKFPDAJUZw26ehW5VDdKFcOXzQmHREa12xoqcU9gAI/s320/black%20catholics.png" width="215" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780824514952" target="_blank">The History of Black Catholics in the United States</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">by Cyprian Davis</div><p></p><p>I cannot recommend this book highly enough to any American Catholic. While I think the books my children have read do a relatively good job of talking about some of the hard truths of our history, none of them explore the history of our faith in America from the point of view of black Catholics like this one does.</p><p>This book is a treasure trove of amazing research. I imagine Cyprian Davis spent years reading letters, journals, newspaper articles, baptismal records, and other primary sources. He also conducted many interviews. The breadth and depth of this work is astounding, as is his humility. He reminds the reader regularly that more research is necessary.</p><p>The book was first published in 1990. I'm sure there have been great strides in scholarship at times and places, but I'm not sure there's been another book attempting to pull it all together in the way that this author does.</p><p>Reading the book, I found a recurring cycle of Catholics, even some in authority, speaking out the truth of the Gospel and how blacks, slave and free, should be incorporated as full members of the Church, but Catholics in practice deluded themselves into serving their own interests. As Fr. Cyprian points out, the black Catholics also spoke eloquently and repeatedly on their own behalf:</p><blockquote><p>For the first time [in 1853] but not for the last, black lay Catholics had spoken out for themselves expressing both loyalty and love for the church and anger and dismay at the racist practices of those within the church...Still, the pattern of appeal to Rome regarding the plight of black Catholics, both on the part of blacks themselves and on the part of those who labored among them, will eventually result in a Roman response that will change the American church decisively. (page 97)</p></blockquote><p>You may look at the text of this book and the number of pages in dismay, anticipating a dry academic treatise. Do not fear. Fr. Cyprian writes clearly but engagingly. I marveled at how eager I was to keep reading and how quickly the pages turned. </p><p>I don't intend to assign this book to my high schoolers, simply because it is rather long, and the history curriculum is already pretty dense, but I will keep it prominently on our shelves and encourage them to read it. I'm making a list of books to gift my seminarian son if he becomes a priest (to begin building his library), and this is the first book on the list.</p><p><i>I received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links. I purchased a copy of this book.</i></p>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-13454820748571356222024-01-08T07:00:00.004-06:002024-01-08T07:00:00.148-06:00October 2022 Book Reports<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqtCBBaSd4FVGTvbaZa7M_BLo4e0Y-evHstSUnBIW7qWBHsymg2ydjh_VjUV5GimucVZcEvLD0WbEtnvbLjvXGL-4R7tWid-Qh6zUqfUbZYdtKUMEICJU8BpFUceGMWwfpT80A6F_aoVuO7KhxO2VNqdouDyqcsHAd3YylRvu8bJ5oq9rdBnLqa3E6WE/s750/BookReports_03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="750" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqtCBBaSd4FVGTvbaZa7M_BLo4e0Y-evHstSUnBIW7qWBHsymg2ydjh_VjUV5GimucVZcEvLD0WbEtnvbLjvXGL-4R7tWid-Qh6zUqfUbZYdtKUMEICJU8BpFUceGMWwfpT80A6F_aoVuO7KhxO2VNqdouDyqcsHAd3YylRvu8bJ5oq9rdBnLqa3E6WE/s320/BookReports_03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9781621641476" target="_blank">Deuteronomy</a> </i>and <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9781586179106" target="_blank">Joshua</a></i>, both from the <i>Ignatius Catholic Study Bible </i>series - This series gives the text of the Bible using the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition along with an introduction for each book, annotations on the text, word studies, topical essays, and study questions. I think it's a decent series. I prefer the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture, but that's not available for the Old Testament. I read these because I had planned for my older daughter to use them in her Scripture study. Mater Amabilis schedules readings from the Bible so that a student will read the entire Bible over the course of the four high school years, with some books read more than once. My daughter always has lots of questions when reading the Bible, and I thought these books would give her more context. We ended up dropping Scripture as a school subject because she reads her Bible every night, so she hasn't read these yet. (purchased copies)</p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780679728894" target="_blank">Death Comes for the Archbishop</a></i> by Willa Cather - This is one of my favorite books. This was my second or third read-through. It's a gentle story of quiet strength and courageous faith, surrounded by exquisite descriptions of the American southwest. Highly recommended. (copy from a fellow member of <a href="https://www.paperbackswap.com/index.php?n=14&r_by=bllHVE9LYTMwM3BteTg4QVE4NnFxdlY4c0FVQ29sSmp4K2d4ekx3Mk05M29NTVU5Z3VoY0luSWFNNnNhNndEeQ==">PaperBackSwap.com</a>)</p><p><i><a href="https://www.livingbookpress.com/product/australian-legendary-tales/" target="_blank">Australian Legendary Tales</a></i> collected by Mrs. K. Langloh Parker - <a href="https://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2024/01/tale-of-noongahburrahs-australian.html" target="_blank">link to my post</a> (purchased copy from Living Book Press)</p><p><i>Paul for Everyone: 2 Corinthians</i> by N. T. Wright - I think the new edition of this is now called <i><a href="https://www.livingbookpress.com/product/australian-legendary-tales/" target="_blank">2 Corinthians for Everyone</a></i>. N. T. Wright is Anglican, not Catholic, but he's a leading authority on Paul. I like how he translates the letters himself, which makes them seem fresh and new to me. He breaks the letter down into little chunks. Following the Scripture excerpt, he provides connections to our own modern lives with personal stories and in-depth explanations of his translations, including connections to other verses of Scripture. (purchased used)</p><p><i><a href="https://www.rchistory.com/product-p/koa.htm" target="_blank">Knights of Art: Stories of the Italian Painters</a> </i>by Amy Steedman - I bought this book from Connecting with History to give us a break from picture study in First Son's last year or so at home. Once a week or so, I would read the story of one of the Italian painters. They were mostly enjoyable stories, though the kids were always excited when there would be one with a happy life; there were lots of illnesses and early deaths in those days. (purchased from Connecting with History; link is not an affiliate link)</p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780525575245" target="_blank">Chatter: The Voice in our Head, Why it Matters, and How to Harness It</a></i> by Ethan Kross - <a href="https://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2022/10/talking-to-ourselves-chatter.html" target="_blank">link to my post</a> (library copy)</p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9781646142729" target="_blank">Everything Sad Is Untrue</a></i> by Daniel Nayeri - <a href="https://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2022/10/becoming-whole-everything-sad-is-untrue.html" target="_blank">link to my post</a> (library copy)</p><p><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.</i></p>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-15158254881417297762024-01-05T07:00:00.005-06:002024-01-05T07:00:00.139-06:00Tale of the Noongahburrahs: Australian Legendary Tales<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7_zuFAX0X2Y7FNe1KRbtfNIGu07cwogOim75ZlBDKUYYII8dV0xGJRLNtDx23MQTtETejtHLqv_xrKr-Mz7Uw41nS4usr0MUIw4rFd827SykFff5m2Nwu-zFNGZoJ7gBXljZZ8n5ZCye3A20SOEWpFIiwNL8f8URyz3pRFeiH-dMLLsNmKDg9acetR8/s1024/australian.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7_zuFAX0X2Y7FNe1KRbtfNIGu07cwogOim75ZlBDKUYYII8dV0xGJRLNtDx23MQTtETejtHLqv_xrKr-Mz7Uw41nS4usr0MUIw4rFd827SykFff5m2Nwu-zFNGZoJ7gBXljZZ8n5ZCye3A20SOEWpFIiwNL8f8URyz3pRFeiH-dMLLsNmKDg9acetR8/s320/australian.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://www.livingbookpress.com/product/australian-legendary-tales/" target="_blank">Australian Legendary Tales</a></i> </div></i><p></p><p>Folk-lore of the Noongahburrahs, as told to the Picaninnies, collected by Mrs. K. Langloh Parker, with an introduction by Andrew Lang</p><p>This book is one of the first collections of tales of First Australians after colonization by Europeans. The stories are generally short, but rich in story and vocabulary. There's an indispensable glossary in the back. The excellent illustrations are those of an Aboriginal artist.</p><p>A few years ago, the moderators of <a href="https://materamabilis.org/ma/" target="_blank">Mater Amabilis</a> added folk tales to the <a href="https://materamabilis.org/ma/level-3/online-syllabus/" target="_blank">Level 3 syllabus</a>, where they had been conspicuously absent. We chose this book for one of the Level 3 Year 2 books (seventh grade). They are probably below reading level for most seventh graders, but the content of the stories is often violent and graphic (though such things are not unusual for real fairy and folk tales), so they are a good fit for that age. (It will also line up with most students as they near the European discovery of Australia in <i>A</i> <i>Book of Discovery</i>.)</p><p>Though these tales seem different from ones from European countries and our own American cultural heritage, it is interesting to discover similarities. It's one of the aspects of our inclusion of tales from many cultures I appreciate.</p><p><i>I received nothing in exchange for this post. I purchased this book directly from the publisher. Links in this post are not affiliate links.</i></p>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-73975683606172242732023-09-25T07:00:00.003-05:002024-01-04T22:53:22.150-06:00September 2022 Book Reports<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgOJJLV8I7M0Cvm5k2gVX4wxhEQP0kIz7VejsKmNyHRjBe3Vfv1ReJpeOV9Gsxa701q4Km9Si8A-1MUW4-acrs_dW6eVdY0rVgiOpT3TIVeoMu4IcrnZrpUMuHfi85ECh5Ro7MWl1P8RQH0bC7y7NylPYfBA_W5G2p1SfUT48CznnVITeLcbRDh5yV280/s750/BookReports_02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="750" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgOJJLV8I7M0Cvm5k2gVX4wxhEQP0kIz7VejsKmNyHRjBe3Vfv1ReJpeOV9Gsxa701q4Km9Si8A-1MUW4-acrs_dW6eVdY0rVgiOpT3TIVeoMu4IcrnZrpUMuHfi85ECh5Ro7MWl1P8RQH0bC7y7NylPYfBA_W5G2p1SfUT48CznnVITeLcbRDh5yV280/s320/BookReports_02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780142422984" target="_blank">Talking Leaves</a></i> by Joseph Bruchac - <a href="http://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2022/10/a-chapter-book-on-sequoyah-talking.html" target="_blank">link to my post</a> (library copy)</p><p><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3t1W3SI" target="_blank">The Foundations of Western Civilization</a> </i>by Thomas F. X. Noble (Great Courses audiobook) - This is one of the honors selections for high school history in the <a href="http://materamabilis.org/ma/" target="_blank">Mater Amabilis</a> plans for <a href="http://materamabilis.org/ma/high-school/high-school-history/" target="_blank">Level 5 and Level 6</a>. It provides an overview of the history of Europe from the flourishing of Mesopotamia through the beginning of the modern world. (The history plans then introduce a few other audiobooks for more recent history.) I listened to these lectures relatively slowly alongside my student and enjoyed them. (purchased audiobook)</p><p><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3ZoY1bS" target="_blank">Works of Mercy</a> </i>by Sally Thomas - <a href="https://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2022/11/love-is-fire-works-of-mercy.html" target="_blank">link to my post</a> (purchased copy)</p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780141439822" target="_blank">Robinson Crusoe</a></i> by Daniel Defoe - I didn't assign this book to my older three kids, but decided to assign it to my youngest in Level 3 for one of his classic books. (We recommend three a year in Level 3.) Most of the book was rather slow, compared to more modern books, but there was value in reading it. (copy received from another member of <a href="http://paperbackswap.com/index.php?n=1&r_by=bllHVE9LYTMwM3BteTg4QVE4NnFxdlY4c0FVQ29sSmp4K2d4ekx3Mk05M29NTVU5Z3VoY0luSWFNNnNhNndEeQ==">PaperBackSwap.com</a>)</p><p><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3RoPhk4" target="_blank">Herodotus and the Road to History</a></i> by Jeanne Bendick - I read this aloud to my kids back in 2016. I never assigned it for independent reading, so I read it aloud once more for the benefit of my youngers. (purchased copy)</p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780393541595" target="_blank">Post Captain</a></i> by Patrick O'Brien - This is the second in the Captain Aubrey series, which begins with <i><a href="https://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2019/11/life-at-sea-in-time-of-lord-nelson.html" target="_blank">Master and Commander</a>. </i>Sometimes I think I miss half of what goes on in these novels, but I love them. They're exciting and funny, though certainly not for young ears. (copy received from another member of <a href="http://paperbackswap.com/index.php?n=1&r_by=bllHVE9LYTMwM3BteTg4QVE4NnFxdlY4c0FVQ29sSmp4K2d4ekx3Mk05M29NTVU5Z3VoY0luSWFNNnNhNndEeQ==">PaperBackSwap.com</a>)</p><p><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3PrSwVf" target="_blank">Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment</a></i> by Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony, and Cass R. Sunstein - This book points out all the ways our judgment is flawed, and not just for the kinds of biases you anticipate. Despite finding it a bit repetitive at times, I am glad I listened to it and definitely think about how my current state of mind or circumstances can make a difference in how I'm making decisions. It's a worthwhile book to check out. (purchased <a href="https://amzn.to/3rm5zQ5" target="_blank">audiobook)</a></p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9781648371585" target="_blank">The Pink Motel</a></i> by Carol Ryrie Brink - This book by the author of <i>Caddie Woodlawn</i> was recently republished. I saw it shared on Facebook and asked our local library to buy a copy, which they did! It's a fun little story with a fair bit of excitement and adventure, parents who are a bit flakey, and kids who discover all the answers. There is a black character depicted in a way that is friendly, but not up to modern standards. The publishers have a little explanation and warning in the publisher's note before the story. I enjoyed this little book and encouraged my younger kids to read it on their own. (library copy)</p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780802126337" target="_blank">Walking the Nile</a></i> by Levinson Wood - Mr. Wood wrote this book about his attempt to walk the length of the Nile from its source to the Mediterranean Sea. His struggles with the weather, the terrain, and the people remind the reader that traveling in Africa still presents difficulties to the earliest European explorers. It's riveting. At first I was considering including it in the geography supplemental reading for my high school students, but by the end I decided the violence and griefs were a little too real. There is also a documentary, but I haven't watched it. (library copy)</p><p><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3rm5zQ5" target="_blank">Two Gentlemen of Verona</a> </i>by William Shakespeare (No Fear Shakespeare edition) - I read this ahead of the school year because I decided to assign it to my younger daughter (eighth grade, Level 4). It was a nice change from our usual selections. (purchased copy)</p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9781513810515" target="_blank">Grace Can Lead Us Home: A Christian Call to End Homelessness</a></i> by Kevin Nye - <a href="https://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2022/10/ending-homelessness-grace-can-lead-us.html" target="_blank">link to my post</a> (library copy)</p><p><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon, Bookshop, and PaperBackSwap are affiliate links.</i></p>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-44956651925346281262023-09-22T07:00:00.003-05:002023-09-22T07:00:00.154-05:00August 2022 Book Reports<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRzju-GY4pEKjT1kaXDxvwOqtif7TETEJzA4_RoSPdu7-U3PCYt-BQCKAUQM9wKd2CyISgaYt-KieJ103VwOBcWHPaEE6S5MvWIU-lrvt60SBMJlXiVTs7dlN6TpsRUy_0SDrXhvD6QjYV-H7i_4A-q5c0jQRpR98_4Ddkt3da1uC8KWzaM8TfyZ6b2NE/s750/BookReports_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="656" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRzju-GY4pEKjT1kaXDxvwOqtif7TETEJzA4_RoSPdu7-U3PCYt-BQCKAUQM9wKd2CyISgaYt-KieJ103VwOBcWHPaEE6S5MvWIU-lrvt60SBMJlXiVTs7dlN6TpsRUy_0SDrXhvD6QjYV-H7i_4A-q5c0jQRpR98_4Ddkt3da1uC8KWzaM8TfyZ6b2NE/s320/BookReports_01.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780385543101" target="_blank">River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile</a></i> by Candace Millard - <a href="http://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-nile-in-context-river-of-gods.html" target="_blank">link to my post</a> (purchased copy)</p><p><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3KftNS7" target="_blank">The Skeptic's Guide to American History</a> </i>by Mark A. Stoler (Great Courses) - This is one of the honors selections for <a href="http://materamabilis.org/ma/high-school/high-school-history/" target="_blank">high school history in the Mater Amabilis lesson plans</a>. It's a good kind of myth-busters course, with plenty of context and background in each lecture. It's a 24 lecture course that is assigned over a couple of years (interspersed with lectures on British history and world history). I wouldn't use it instead of our textbook (<i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9781641771399" target="_blank">Land of Hope</a></i>), but it's a useful supplement if you have a student eager and willing for an honors course. (It's not really harder than the other resources we use. It's honors because it's <i>more</i>.) (published audiobook)</p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780486289120" target="_blank">Nordic Gods and Heroes</a></i> by Padraic Colum - This is one of the books of myths and legends added recently to <a href="http://materamabilis.org/ma/level-3/online-syllabus/" target="_blank">Mater Amabilis's Level 3 lesson plans</a>. This particular edition has the same style of illustrations by Willy Pogany as Colum's <i><a href="http://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2013/09/homeschool-book-review-childrens-homer.html" target="_blank">The Children's Homer</a></i>, one of my favorites. In this book, Colum introduces children to the tales of Loki, Thor, and other Norse myths, names many might already find familiar from a series of recent movies. Thoroughly enjoyable. (purchased copy)</p><p><i><a href="https://amzn.to/46cVsM4" target="_blank">Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart</a> </i>by Father Jacques Philippe - <a href="https://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2023/09/an-essential-book-searching-for-and.html" target="_blank">link to my post</a> (received as a gift from my son)</p><p><i>Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links. I have received nothing in exchange for this post.</i></p><p><br /></p><p><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.</i></p>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-8469823232285244952023-09-20T07:00:00.001-05:002023-09-20T07:00:00.140-05:00An Essential Book: Searching for and Maintaining Peace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2fzHhtuqm8pXxFxP1xotqITRnz9Rf6dpfvISm0ayoQuLe8v2YaJWJ9VRfA3d1L9ysdxNuo3fK9xd4YMXPgfS0HJp-rJ4a91kJqwRezaNX-DyG31MUlEM9MKz7aHPqmiAFL27df3PbDRYSMclpxlwSX1wHuTWGCrFDAhni_Qbwpe6TLtQe9pDPJJa2qk/s563/peace.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="348" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2fzHhtuqm8pXxFxP1xotqITRnz9Rf6dpfvISm0ayoQuLe8v2YaJWJ9VRfA3d1L9ysdxNuo3fK9xd4YMXPgfS0HJp-rJ4a91kJqwRezaNX-DyG31MUlEM9MKz7aHPqmiAFL27df3PbDRYSMclpxlwSX1wHuTWGCrFDAhni_Qbwpe6TLtQe9pDPJJa2qk/s320/peace.jpg" width="198" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><i><a href="https://amzn.to/46cVsM4" target="_blank">Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart</a></i><br />by Father Jacques Philippe</p><p>I cannot recommend this book highly enough.</p><blockquote><p>The more our soul is peaceful and tranquil, the more God is reflected in it, the more His image expresses itself in us, the more His grace acts through us. (p. 5)</p></blockquote><p>Part One puts forth the reasons we should seek interior peace above all else. Part Two addresses the difficulties and experiences that steal our peace, providing page after page of encouragement and advice. Part Three includes excerpts from writings of saints regarding interior peace.</p><p>It's impossible to choose quotations to share, because so much of the book is worth quoting. I haven't mastered interior peace, but Father Jacques Philippe makes it seem attainable.</p><p>As soon as I finished this book, I wanted to start over again at the beginning. I've talked about this book with random people I don't know at events around town and hear the same thing from many of them. They have all read it multiple times. I plan to have all my kids read it. I may even gift them each their own copy.</p><p><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this post. I received this book as a gift. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.</i></p>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-47327710711210712512023-08-07T07:00:00.001-05:002023-08-07T07:00:00.149-05:00The Nile in Context: River of the Gods<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQhQRPOHbVr_bxy86tKVF9a3Yj7-7u0oJWmf1mLXIiVmYrK_UZZ7Oi6T09xOWOb2fLzYEdyS4Vba5qXj8TQCdsa-F6hlM8M0Qiei1Zt0QaPi7jk11Ytvx0GkrO3V9LN0xGr9UXSSN5BLho60Qjy-vQsBgSuQ3v_rAv6RPMIfi6MGYxGBuUmV95A-lNaCs/s483/Screenshot%202023-07-29%20214124.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQhQRPOHbVr_bxy86tKVF9a3Yj7-7u0oJWmf1mLXIiVmYrK_UZZ7Oi6T09xOWOb2fLzYEdyS4Vba5qXj8TQCdsa-F6hlM8M0Qiei1Zt0QaPi7jk11Ytvx0GkrO3V9LN0xGr9UXSSN5BLho60Qjy-vQsBgSuQ3v_rAv6RPMIfi6MGYxGBuUmV95A-lNaCs/s320/Screenshot%202023-07-29%20214124.png" width="211" /></a></div><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780385543101" target="_blank">River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile</a></i> <br>by Candace Millard</p><p>I loved Millard's <i><a href="https://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2020/11/deep-in-jungles-of-south-america-river.html" target="_blank">River of Doubt</a></i>, so when I saw she was doing an event at our big city's main library for her new book (this would have been in May 2022), I knew I had to go. First Daughter went with me. We had a fabulous evening and bought a book each, both of which the author graciously signed for us.</p><p><i>River of the Gods </i>fills in all the Nile River gaps a Mater Amabilis mother or student would have after reading <i>A Book of Discovery</i>. It's full of intrigue, disease, adventure, and death. The personalities and tragedies of the European explorers come to life, but Millard also supplies contextual information on the people of Africa who accompanied (or attacked) the adventurers. Millard's research seems excellent (to a non-historian such as myself) with extensive endnotes and bibliography.</p><p>I loved it. I'm becoming a bit of a geography and travel book addict, though. I think it would be a great book if you have a high schooler who was particularly fascinated by the search for the source of the Nile or the exploration of Africa by Europeans. It might be a tad slow-going for a casual reader.</p><p><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this review. I purchased the book. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.</i></p>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-1694129368556023992023-08-03T07:00:00.002-05:002023-08-03T07:00:00.146-05:00July 2022 Book Reports<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJuE0yGJ2uHK1OZz8sOBaNIYwqkEpoa7ewJmsM7XZUyQj2MYymfRqJtOkeP2TblMeUWdGuantP09MQZQvCaKQ-rAWgljAQ8-G2pkMEjGQsevT1_QtK7SyJ-v1tYrACgiIGgmyUglJW2V2TCWoy7x55G7aDajPNXJ_Lf0_CzcRBwsmIbBhAYBPbpyYcm8A/s2576/100_4791.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1932" data-original-width="2576" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJuE0yGJ2uHK1OZz8sOBaNIYwqkEpoa7ewJmsM7XZUyQj2MYymfRqJtOkeP2TblMeUWdGuantP09MQZQvCaKQ-rAWgljAQ8-G2pkMEjGQsevT1_QtK7SyJ-v1tYrACgiIGgmyUglJW2V2TCWoy7x55G7aDajPNXJ_Lf0_CzcRBwsmIbBhAYBPbpyYcm8A/s320/100_4791.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780143039167" target="_blank">Kristin Lavransdatter (The Wreath, The Wife, and The Cross)</a></i> by Sigrid Undset, translated by Tiina Nunnally - <a href="https://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2022/12/daughter-wife-mother-kristin.html" target="_blank">link to my post </a>(purchased copy)</p><div style="text-align: left;"><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9781621644088" target="_blank">The Genesis of Gender: A Christian Theory</a> </i>by Abigail Favale - <a href="https://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2023/04/a-catholic-feminist-genesis-of-gender.html" target="_blank">link to my post</a> (purchased copy)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780192750136" target="_blank">One Thousand and One Arabian Nights</a> </i>by Geraldine McCaughrean - I wanted a substitute for a Robin Hood book in Level 3 of Mater Amabilis for Second Son, because he had read that one the year before. I found this one adaptation suggested on a number of websites and checked it out. I haven't read the original Arabian Nights, but this one is entertaining and suitable for children, if you can get past the slaughtering of so many wives before he gets to the storyteller. My son and I both enjoyed these stories. It was pretty easy for him to read and narrate a chapter at a time. (I read a library copy, but purchased one for my son.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.</i></div>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-69963511978902089872023-07-31T07:00:00.001-05:002023-07-31T07:00:00.135-05:00Faith and Medical Ethics: Losing Our Dignity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtyDw36z9EIuYZZEPWQOIuN53sBwRzhcEA-xbLTPve6IQG_Y9dxFEVMlILDyP0it8zAlXZm9Hwq88quDJW2ewnCLUrApJrvoqRx9A-R7x8hu4b-Dk4Rndra6PZcX7FFHm_iV5rwFoIZXu6o2-GA5PYFz0k2-eGZXEOAMbszx6YJlpwgF1gkRoSrGyzdU/s495/Screenshot%202023-07-28%20230121.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtyDw36z9EIuYZZEPWQOIuN53sBwRzhcEA-xbLTPve6IQG_Y9dxFEVMlILDyP0it8zAlXZm9Hwq88quDJW2ewnCLUrApJrvoqRx9A-R7x8hu4b-Dk4Rndra6PZcX7FFHm_iV5rwFoIZXu6o2-GA5PYFz0k2-eGZXEOAMbszx6YJlpwgF1gkRoSrGyzdU/s320/Screenshot%202023-07-28%20230121.png" width="204" /></a></div><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9781565484719" target="_blank">Losing Our Dignity: How Secularized Medicine Is Undermining Fundamental Human Equality</a></i><br />by Charles C. Camosy</p><p>I'm considering a Faith and Modern Life class that would be a kind of intersection between government and policy and faith. My Catholic theologian husband said if I wanted to talk about medical ethics, this book should be on the list.</p><p>Dr. Camosy explains how the philosophy of secularized medicine developed, and how that philosophy is not neutral in making medical decisions.</p><blockquote><p>...here's the bottom line: it is impossible to care for the health of a single human being (much less design and work within a health-care system with limited resources that must yet provide for millions) without incorporated such goods and values and purposes. (p. 39)</p></blockquote><p>Then he presents studies around famous cases to show how that philosophy leads to poor decisions for vulnerable patients. There are chapters about Jahi McMath, Terri Schiavo, "Roe Baby," and Alfie Evans. There's also a chapter on patients with dementia.</p><p>New Jersey law requires insurance companies to continue medical care even if religious beliefs of the family conflict with medical professionals. The executive director of the group that wrote the law, Alan Weisbard, said:</p><blockquote><p>[T]he people who have done the deep and conceptual thinking about brain death are people with high I.Q.s, who tremendously value their cognitive abilities--people who believe that the ability to think, to plan, and to act in the world are what make for meaningful lives. But there is a different tradition that looks much more to the body. (pp. 50-51)</p></blockquote><p>He concludes with some ideas about what we can do to reverse the concerning trends as individuals, communities, and society in the short and long term. </p><p>Dr. Camosy doesn't always present the one and only answer for difficult situations. He emphasizes that each situation requires careful consideration of the individual, the family, and the resources available but always with the needs and dignity of the most vulnerable patients given the priority.</p><blockquote><p>Medical science and tests can be used to determine whether death has taken place, but <i>deciding what death is in the first place</i> can be determined only by asking theological questions. (p. 47)</p></blockquote><p>I think this book is essential reading for anyone in medicine or anyone considering a career in a medical field, especially for Catholics. It's actually a great book for any Catholic. Highly recommended.</p><p><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this post. I purchased the book. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.</i></p>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-54107399415595404762023-07-26T07:00:00.001-05:002023-07-26T07:00:00.146-05:00June 2022 Book Reports<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1P2kQkzKXbTW9kUkQcTobtV-qKb1Y7Ey7iXUB9Dx1WdT9Pjou1yEe9Cqmb4eTMFk87nBj7SV8yQvSzgC5wvmHQleLEXJNtCistX3IOaUcQzq7GopkfN9PoVZ_aDUNTFKLLx1pU89_nSPxCEFyeT6kQiX0NxHBiSVA9U8QDvQHdSUpRi5_ayx9DMLf/s2032/100_0850.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1524" data-original-width="2032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1P2kQkzKXbTW9kUkQcTobtV-qKb1Y7Ey7iXUB9Dx1WdT9Pjou1yEe9Cqmb4eTMFk87nBj7SV8yQvSzgC5wvmHQleLEXJNtCistX3IOaUcQzq7GopkfN9PoVZ_aDUNTFKLLx1pU89_nSPxCEFyeT6kQiX0NxHBiSVA9U8QDvQHdSUpRi5_ayx9DMLf/s320/100_0850.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3Ly7VT4" target="_blank">The Hearthstone of My Heart</a></i> by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino - <a href="https://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2023/01/a-memoir-of-place-and-people.html" target="_blank">link to my post</a> (purchased used copy)</p><p><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3O73JtD" target="_blank">Three Men in a Boat: To Say Nothing of the Dog</a></i> by Jerome K. Jerome - This book is the source of the title, and much of the plot humor, of one of my absolute favorite books, <i>To Say Nothing of the Dog </i>by Connie Willis. When I found out, I had to listen to it and then follow it up with another re-listen of the Willis book. Jerome's original book was intended as a useful travel book, but was instead loved for its hilarity. It was a wonderful summer listen. (Audible audiobook)</p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780312659301" target="_blank">The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate</a></i> and<i> <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9781250115027" target="_blank">The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate</a></i> by Jacqueline Kelly - These are the first two books about a clever young girl living in a time when her career options seem limited. The books are full of exploration of the natural world of Texas. In the second book, the family is touched by the effects of the hurricane that his Galveston in 1900. If you are reading aloud to young children, you may want to be prepared for chapter 24, in which two of the family's hunting dogs have to be shot after a rattlesnake attack. Calpurnia's hopes for a career and education are still out of reach. We must wait for another installment in the series. (library copy)</p><p><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3QagMNx" target="_blank">Peter Duck</a></i> by Arthur Ransome - The kids and I listened to this together. In this third book in the series, the Swallows and Amazons join their uncle for a cruise around the British isles, but instead end up following the trail of buried treasure when a wise old sailor joins the crew. This tale is meant to be an imaginary one, but it's full of summertime fun. Alison Larkin is the narrators of all the Swallows and Amazons books we have from Audible, and I could listen to her all day long. (Audible audiobook)</p><p><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon, Bookshop, and PaperBackSwap are affiliate links.</i></p>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-17242606978430999002023-07-17T15:40:00.001-05:002023-07-17T15:40:00.138-05:00Financial Planning in a Catholic Way: How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqPFHfnmEy33GL3f_E-Rk6RgXTtt4ZwFhmTH9cRG7V267dPCfxIE89SJ0xEbaD_grC_rz7vqKBVfYjrKT5XXbTADN4mxrk5XZ5JYD4DYC5EvuK_R5U7H9Z1ZKeJelwdNTx9xd49hmfZRBKL2p4zrEZ52qMihYCtpL4GNKg_R4ZrO7VWGscgG4WTMkE6LE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="524" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqPFHfnmEy33GL3f_E-Rk6RgXTtt4ZwFhmTH9cRG7V267dPCfxIE89SJ0xEbaD_grC_rz7vqKBVfYjrKT5XXbTADN4mxrk5XZ5JYD4DYC5EvuK_R5U7H9Z1ZKeJelwdNTx9xd49hmfZRBKL2p4zrEZ52qMihYCtpL4GNKg_R4ZrO7VWGscgG4WTMkE6LE" width="160" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">[photo credit: <a href="https://walletwin.com/book/" target="_blank">WalletWin website</a>]</div><p></p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9781681927428" target="_blank">How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity: A Catholic Guide to Managing Your Money</a></i></p><p>by Amanda and Jonathan Teixeira</p><p>The authors are the founders of <a href="https://walletwin.com/" target="_blank">WalletWin</a>, an organization offering courses and support in learning to budget, pay off debt, and grow wealth.</p><p>This book was recommended in one of the Facebook discussions of the Mater Amabilis group when someone asked about personal finance. I've assigned <i><a href="https://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2019/05/update-on-personal-finance-for-high.html" target="_blank">You Need a Budget</a></i> for my homeschool's personal finance study and was satisfied with the book. The recommendation was glowing, though, and since it seemed like it might appeal to other Mater Amabilis families, I decided I'd get a copy to see for myself.</p><p>I was pleased to learn the Teixerias actually use the YNAB system, which is my favorite way to budget and plan. They explain enough you don't need any prior knowledge of it to understand their book. </p><p>As I was reading, I found the financial advice solid, but not much different that what I have read in financial columns, from Dave Ramsey, or from <i>You Need a Budget</i>. One benefit of this book over <i>You Need a Budget </i>is the assumption you are planning a financial future with a spouse, rather than a "partner," which most Catholic homeschoolers would probably prefer.</p><p>The two chapters of Part V, though, brought to the fore-front what it means to live your Catholic faith as a person whose economic needs (and those of his or her family) are met. </p><blockquote><p>A good, though fuzzy, rule of thumb is that you should give at a level that's noticeable, even a little uncomfortable. You should feel the difference that giving makes in your budget. (p. 257)</p></blockquote><p>The Teixeiras challenge the reader to carefully and repeatedly consider what it means to give your excess away. They don't <i>just</i> encourage you to pray about your needs or to continuously examine your situation. They present what many would consider a counter-cultural example, even in the Christian world, of how to live generously. </p><p>You could use wealth to smooth out all the problems in your life, but the Teixeiras encourage you to meet your needs, and allow some suffering in order to be more generous.</p><blockquote><p>Avoiding suffering can be another appetite that is never satisfied. There will always be some suffering, however small, to avoid, to stamp out, some annoyance you don't want to deal with, and will try to find a way not to. And this neverending quest for a perfect life here on earth will never end, except in misery and disappointment. (p. 277)</p></blockquote><p>They suggest asking yourself, "Does addressing this suffering allow me to freely focus on God and my vocation/enter more fully into life, or might I be running away from life by trying to escape?" (p. 277)</p><blockquote><p>Your money might be able to make some things happen, but the power is not yours. Even if you worked harder or smarter than others to earn your living--it doesn't mean you are more worthy or have more dignity than anyone else.</p></blockquote><blockquote><p>Remember, the money isn't even yours. It's God's money, and he's asking you to manage it for him. (p. 279) </p></blockquote><p>I haven't used WalletWin; I've only read the book. If I heard a parish was considering offering Financial Peace University, though, I'd say, "Call WalletWin instead. Right now." No one asks me for financial advice, nor should they, but I will always recommend WalletWin over You Need a Budget or anything Dave Ramsey from now on.</p><p>One quibble, and one I have with essentially every Christian pay-down-your-debt-and-build-wealth book or program, is the idea that investments (e.g. for retirement) should be judged solely based on the rate of return. I would like to see more Christian and Catholic financial organizations address concerns about what companies are included in various mutual funds or investment portfolios and how those companies make their money, treat their employees, and act in the world. If you choose to avoid using products from a company because they allow child labor in their overseas practices, then you probably don't want to own stock in that company, but it's really difficult to find that message or to know what to do about it if you come to that decision on your own. If more companies like WalletWin spoke out about these kinds of issues, it could be the beginning of a movement. </p><p>I have updated our previous lesson plans to use this book instead of <i>You Need a Budget</i>. I am also going to encourage my older daughter, who already finished the old plans, to read the last couple of chapters.</p><p><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this post. I purchased the book. Links to Bookshop.org are affiliate links.</i></p>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-9591193062570272952023-04-27T07:00:00.001-05:002023-04-27T07:00:00.137-05:00A Catholic Feminist: The Genesis of Gender<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCvaljK91pT3HlP7f_m5vSma_igyf4UPyxP09IpPhLru_42L5I6wW7V8zEspqhk759pMx3s-_ZlDFCAvWutbHJp0FMJv6U4-7WFnlEtgMsqpslyD1J4l6yYCyn1meavKjVpMhtppIhwqMpP3xu2k6cd9hsLPPN1b7MBbuZ6Eop8YWen4BTYVMqokat/s500/9781621644088.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="328" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCvaljK91pT3HlP7f_m5vSma_igyf4UPyxP09IpPhLru_42L5I6wW7V8zEspqhk759pMx3s-_ZlDFCAvWutbHJp0FMJv6U4-7WFnlEtgMsqpslyD1J4l6yYCyn1meavKjVpMhtppIhwqMpP3xu2k6cd9hsLPPN1b7MBbuZ6Eop8YWen4BTYVMqokat/s320/9781621644088.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9781621644088" target="_blank">The Genesis of Gender: A Christian Theory</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">by Abigail Favale</div><p></p><p>Abigail Favale was making the rounds on a number of Catholic podcasts last year to promote this book. I bought the book and read it last summer, but it's taken me months to get it on the blog.</p><p>Dr. Favale's personal story from Christian upbringing through feminist college and graduate student to Catholic convert provides a backdrop for clear descriptions of some of the most prominent schools of thought and modern American culture regarding gender and orientation. </p><p>One of the aspects of this book I appreciated the most is how Dr. Favale doesn't let the rhetoric of any one group define who she is and what she believes. She has carefully and thoughtfully considered arguments from many different philosophers and theologians and sifted them down to what she believes is the truth.</p><blockquote><p>There is a danger in embracing feminism unthinkingly and letting it become a totalizing worldview, as I did. There is also a danger in dismissing feminism too hastily, because that leaves important concerns unaddressed...The questions that feminism seeks to address are still vital and relevant, even if the answers feminism provides are too often self-defeating. (p. 30) </p></blockquote><p>She treats her antagonists with great compassion, which I find sorely lacking in most treatises on these subjects. She finds the good in the desires of all, including those who have left the truth of the Catholic faith, without failing to maintain that truth herself.</p><p>This book says everything I want my daughters and sons to hear and consider before they go off to college. (It was published too late for my oldest, but I'm adding it to his recommended book list even though he's not my student anymore.) It presents a clear-headed and calm discussions of the dangers and tragic consequences of modern feminist and trans ideologies. Dr. Favale is seeking truth wherever she can find it, including in feminist thought.</p><blockquote><p>I do have to warn you: being a Christian feminist means being a heretic, one way or another. You have to make a choice. Embracing Christian orthodoxy means rejecting certain feminist dogmas. (p. 29)</p></blockquote><p>I intend to schedule this book for my high school students in their senior year. I'm still thinking about what that will look like, but probably something along the lines of Faith and Society - all the things I want you to hear from us before you hear a twisted version of it from college friends or professors.</p><p><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this review. I purchased the book. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.</i> </p>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-65100412537607328172023-01-18T07:00:00.001-06:002023-01-18T07:00:00.247-06:00A Memoir of Place and People: The Hearthstone of My Heart<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihfF9Pc49nHk15L9tSQgXR_nDOULJcUnDBXSeHL5uFUwvC1PTujcyB1hN0C3Y3U6gjtX7hS_pcGQriZPxswUm_xJTwRmND_HfYjaZu41Ekpu5cVp1KeujYiCn1QG5vjRJgKFBYteU04qpLokcaLQ2UwL4LOJlu6_b61Io-v5MC8hqjX0Witd-78wiy/s832/hearthstone.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="545" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihfF9Pc49nHk15L9tSQgXR_nDOULJcUnDBXSeHL5uFUwvC1PTujcyB1hN0C3Y3U6gjtX7hS_pcGQriZPxswUm_xJTwRmND_HfYjaZu41Ekpu5cVp1KeujYiCn1QG5vjRJgKFBYteU04qpLokcaLQ2UwL4LOJlu6_b61Io-v5MC8hqjX0Witd-78wiy/s320/hearthstone.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3WkdKG5" target="_blank"><i>The Hearthstone of My Heart</i></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino</div><p></p><p>Elizabeth Borton de Trevino is such a delight. This book is like sitting down to tea with her and listening as she shares memories of her family and her incredible life. Her thoughts on the deepest aspects of what it is to be human rise up naturally from her stories.</p><p>Borton de Trevino is the author of children's books like <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3QK0IR3" target="_blank">Nacar: The White Deer</a> </i>and <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3HayprQ" target="_blank">I, Juan de Pareja</a></i>. She actually wrote many books, but most of them are now sadly out of print. </p><p>In this book, she commented on children's literature in a way that reminded me of Charlotte Mason's ideals. </p><blockquote><p>Shouldn't the imagination of what <i>could </i>be a beautiful world, be kept, in their stories, in their entertainment? If not, how will they envision it? Man has always dreamed of improvements before he was able to effect them. (p. 195)</p></blockquote><p>A little later, she writes:</p><blockquote><p>I do feel, strongly, that some of the special gifts of childhood must somehow be preserved, and chief among those is the vaulting imagination, and the child's capacity for love and empathy. (p. 195) </p></blockquote><p>This author led a remarkable life, interviewing and befriending (or befriended by) many of the greatest artists and musicians of her life in Boston, New York, San Francisco, and Mexico. She writes often with generosity and warmth of her relationships with them.</p><p>Her Epilogue provides a good reflection on the book as a whole.</p><blockquote><p>I think, as I look back over what I have told in this volume, that the important thing I want to emphasize is that there is still much goodness, generosity, and kindness all around us, that friendship is still the greatest treasure God has offered us for the taking, during our lives, and that, as they say in Spanish, "<i>Amor con amor se paga.</i>" Love is repaid by love. (p. 223) </p></blockquote><p>I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I also recommend <i><a href="https://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2021/05/making-monterrey-home-my-heart-lies.html" target="_blank">My Heart Lies South</a></i>. </p><p><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this review. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links. I purchased this book.</i></p>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-37449393324651368652022-12-26T08:00:00.001-06:002022-12-26T08:00:00.277-06:00Immigrants Today: Out of Many, One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2g5VFj-5AnNwsDkhONEZ2EwpMew9UUvbG61QTy7Kb0gbER-Zyc5xWM-wb6Z55boIniTn6euKM61AEMGOkiWlGc2VDya2rRN377KQ1yyTqSz2h7R1Aeuqgk-YkpjtcaHq9PvG8ncAEbS0My-4Ep3U3lN7NQ7jMaxwsDO59EqCcVv3bRCPN87fWjEw0/s400/9780593136966.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="321" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2g5VFj-5AnNwsDkhONEZ2EwpMew9UUvbG61QTy7Kb0gbER-Zyc5xWM-wb6Z55boIniTn6euKM61AEMGOkiWlGc2VDya2rRN377KQ1yyTqSz2h7R1Aeuqgk-YkpjtcaHq9PvG8ncAEbS0My-4Ep3U3lN7NQ7jMaxwsDO59EqCcVv3bRCPN87fWjEw0/s320/9780593136966.jpg" width="257" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780593136966" target="_blank">Out of Many, One: Portraits of America's Immigrants</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">by George W. Bush</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div>Former President George W. Bush has taken up a paintbrush in his retirement. He creates colorful and vibrant portraits reproduced in this book, featuring immigrants from all over the world.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are a few pages at the end of the book that discuss the kind of immigration advocacy work former President Bush supports, which I found interesting and encouraging.</div><div><br /></div><div>My only quibble with the book was the wish that there were a few more immigrants who were just ordinary people, even decades after they immigrating. Most of the people in the book are celebrities, wealthy and successful business owners, or important political figures. I suppose those are the sorts of immigrants most likely to be introduced to a former president, and they make excellent stories to highlight the great contributions immigrants continue to make to life in the United States, but immigrants who struggle to make ends meet, working a couple of jobs and raising children, are also worthy of respect and dignity. (Not that I think the former President disagrees, of course; they just aren't in the book.)</div><div><br /></div><div><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links. I borrowed this book from my dad.</i></div>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-76651696050517838712022-12-23T08:00:00.001-06:002022-12-23T08:00:00.243-06:00Janie's Choice: Their Eyes Were Watching God<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZYPsYorV8hYS3vZvMXAyWTuHfBn0WfnbtbNwbBHAm3hTydt9JMTtyJe424FqGu3fVH_qE39nklv9Tsk0S0kJQhhWSsdLrprM62yqE7xg22qw3lBBL8X41yvTtwvMnsQ7Dj19P8lSFCuQ0YRTKlYvufLBDJwuBZrOOnJKU5msiSstnk7R7oNCzysl/s477/hurston.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="322" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZYPsYorV8hYS3vZvMXAyWTuHfBn0WfnbtbNwbBHAm3hTydt9JMTtyJe424FqGu3fVH_qE39nklv9Tsk0S0kJQhhWSsdLrprM62yqE7xg22qw3lBBL8X41yvTtwvMnsQ7Dj19P8lSFCuQ0YRTKlYvufLBDJwuBZrOOnJKU5msiSstnk7R7oNCzysl/s320/hurston.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780060838676" target="_blank">Their Eyes Were Watching God</a></i><br />by Zora Neale Hurston</p><p>Zora Neale Hurston, one of the leaders of the Harlem Renaissance, published this novel in 1937. It received mixed reviews and fell into relative obscurity before Alice Walker revived interest in Hurston, and this novel in particular, in the 1970s. </p><p>Janie is a young woman bursting with life who yearns to discover herself and experience the world, but is unable to articulate her amorphous desires. Early in the book, she sits under a blossoming pear tree, gazing at the bees and flowers.</p><blockquote><p>It had called her to come and gaze on a mystery. From barren brown stems to glistening leaf-buds; from the leaf-buds to snowy virginity of bloom. It stirred her tremendously.</p></blockquote><p>Her grandmother tried to keep her safe by marrying her off to a relatively wealthy farmer, but Janie withered. Janie could never recognize her grandmother's love, her desire to see Janie safe rather than fulfilled. Nor did her husband understand Janie's heart. On a whim, Janie runs off with a man on his way to a town established for and run by blacks in Florida.</p><p>In Eatonville, Janie's new husband, Jody, becomes the mayor. He restricts Janie's freedom, forcing her to stay isolated from the community, a trophy wife. After his death, she falls in love with Tea Cake, a charismatic but troubling man. </p><p>The end is spectacular and I don't want to give anything away. I reveled in much of Hurston's prose.</p><p>This book is my new first choice for an African American novel for my seniors in high school. It's much more approachable than <i>Invisible Man</i>, though it still includes important themes and insights into a world my own children probably don't understand.</p><p>There remain content considerations, so I encourage you to read it yourself before assigning it to your own children. Among other difficult subjects, Janie abandons her first husband, is intimate with Tea Cake before marriage, and endures emotional and physical abuse from more than one man.</p><p>The vernacular speech may also be difficult for a high school student to understand. It is helpful to read it out loud. I also heard on a podcast that listening to an audiobook version while reading along makes it much clearer.</p><p>For my own education, I listened to the Close Reads podcast episodes on <i>Their Eyes Were Watching God</i>. I also found an episode of Black Chick Lit, which I found highly entertaining and insightful (language warning).</p><p><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links. I checked this book out from the library and then requested a copy from another member of PaperBackSwap </i>(<a href="https://www.paperbackswap.com/index.php?n=14&r_by=bllHVE9LYTMwM3BteTg4QVE4NnFxdlY4c0FVQ29sSmp4K2d4ekx3Mk05M29NTVU5Z3VoY0luSWFNNnNhNndEeQ==" target="_blank">affiliate link</a>).</p>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-77776291697762231232022-12-08T07:00:00.014-06:002022-12-08T07:00:00.250-06:00May 2022 Book Reports<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfqVYqfWLDsTSQW-5Q65zwEmSN7mYBuTbSCW8YN897sQTWv8AlSdlK0YziBYsGcOxO1ngQiBW2m8vI9pdOqw1XCnZb-s5T-pSg-gbGzW13E_UGSx4G6KAS_DWMOTr0_ewKs3TFlAL-ZTGoNTh1lNI0ajJVsYZDU76T26n7YAYxseyZX5Wp9wBiZWbo/s5152/BookReports_11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5152" data-original-width="3864" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfqVYqfWLDsTSQW-5Q65zwEmSN7mYBuTbSCW8YN897sQTWv8AlSdlK0YziBYsGcOxO1ngQiBW2m8vI9pdOqw1XCnZb-s5T-pSg-gbGzW13E_UGSx4G6KAS_DWMOTr0_ewKs3TFlAL-ZTGoNTh1lNI0ajJVsYZDU76T26n7YAYxseyZX5Wp9wBiZWbo/s320/BookReports_11.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780143107002" target="_blank"><i>Travels with Charley: In Search of America</i></a> by John Steinbeck - The author modified a truck into a camper and took off across America with his dog, Charley. My experiences with Steinbeck in the past were mixed, but this was a delightful book. His descriptions of the Badlands, the Redwoods, San Francisco, and many other places were a joy to read. Though confirmed in most of his opinions, he relished conversations with people from all backgrounds and walks of life, listening carefully to their stories. The book is as rambling as his journey, including a protest of school integration in New Orleans along with the magnificent vistas of the west. (purchased used)</p><p><i><a href="https://vianneyvocations.com/product/a-priest-in-the-family/" target="_blank">A Priest in the Family: A Guide for Parents Whose Sons are Considering Priesthood</a></i> by Fr. Brett A. Brannen - <a href="https://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2022/07/helpful-and-informative-priest-in-family.html" target="_blank">link to my post</a> (gift from our diocese)</p><p><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3UblWXS" target="_blank">The Conscience of Israel: Pre-exilic Prophets and Prophecy</a></i> by Bruce Vawter, C.M. - I thoroughly enjoyed Vawter's <i><a href="https://ourhomeontherange.blogspot.com/2019/04/commentary-on-creation-fall-abraham-and.html" target="_blank">A Path through Genesis</a></i>, which I assign to my ninth graders, so I went hunting for a few of his other books. This one examines the role of the prophet in Israel and then specifically explores the lives (such as we know them), the contexts, and writings of Amos, Hosea, Micah, Isaiah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, and Jeremiah. Vawter reveals enduring messages from these men of God beyond predicting the coming of the Messiah. I appreciated this book for myself and may offer it to my high schoolers when these books of the Bible show up in our high school plans. Unlike <i>A Path through Genesis</i>, this book does not contain the prophetic books discussed, so you would need a Bible for the texts. (purchased used)</p><p><i><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9781501142468" target="_blank">The Chosen</a></i> by Chaim Potok - This is one of the suggested supplemental books for Mater Amabilis's Level 4 history plans (eighth grade, twentieth century). This is the story of two young Jewish boys in 1940s New York City who become friends despite being from different (and often opposed) schools of thought. Over the years, their friendship is shaped by and shapes their families and each other in profound ways. This is a good option for the Level 4 student because it's provides insight into life in America during World War II and the creation of the state of Israel without reveling in the violence of warfare and the concentration camps. (requested from a member of <a href="paperbackswap.com/index.php?n=2&r_by=bllHVE9LYTMwM3BteTg4QVE4NnFxdlY4c0FVQ29sSmp4K2d4ekx3Mk05M29NTVU5Z3VoY0luSWFNNnNhNndEeQ==">PaperBackSwap.com</a>)</p><p><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3VI1LT5" target="_blank">Door to the North: A Saga of 14th Century America</a></i> by Elizabeth Coatsworth - This is one of the many quality historical fiction books brought back into print by Bethlehem Books. In this book, Coatsworth imagines the journey of a young Scandinavian to Greenland and a grand new world. First Son read this as a complement to his early American history study this year (sixth grade). (purchased new)</p><p><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon, Bookshop, and PaperBackSwap are affiliate links.</i></p>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873899664417400772.post-48752774553080556902022-12-05T07:00:00.001-06:002022-12-05T07:00:00.245-06:00Daughter, Wife, Mother: Kristin Lavransdatter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPHPSqShX8c0BLu-Cpo43doBjO-Gw2_us4s3bM7Qitt8p_NYx14CIrZZ1pmlvbsFWTNdZWA6yiw74KJCiD6HonDATKRyDI6j_c5ZLpFVeGeTIhn0iQ9VVWbRcKS7l29dWTMH6ua51jFTbGhzPBVJ2PVh_w6-iUNIgWehWmckhq3IFTeYM3tvAd_rUw/s499/51MVs6AfYeL._SX324_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="326" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPHPSqShX8c0BLu-Cpo43doBjO-Gw2_us4s3bM7Qitt8p_NYx14CIrZZ1pmlvbsFWTNdZWA6yiw74KJCiD6HonDATKRyDI6j_c5ZLpFVeGeTIhn0iQ9VVWbRcKS7l29dWTMH6ua51jFTbGhzPBVJ2PVh_w6-iUNIgWehWmckhq3IFTeYM3tvAd_rUw/s320/51MVs6AfYeL._SX324_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="209" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://bookshop.org/a/5940/9780143039167" target="_blank"><i>Kristin Lavransdatter (The Wreath, The Wife, </i>and <i>The Cross)</i></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">by Sigrid Undset</div><div style="text-align: center;">translated by Tiina Nunnally</div><p></p><p>This book is a masterpiece of historical fiction set in fourteenth century Norway. Kristin Lavransdattar is a beloved child who becomes a loving wife in a marriage between two deeply flawed people, a mother full of love and anxiety, and a wayward child of Christ. </p><p>I first read this book as a young wife without children. I enjoyed it, but didn't realize it's true worth until this second reading. I don't know if it's my own maturity or the new translation, but I understood and loved Kristin much more.</p><blockquote><p>But always with that secret, breathless anguish: If things go badly for them, I won't be able to bear it. And deep in her heart she wailed at the memory of her father and mother. They had borne anguish and sorrow over their children, day after day, until their deaths; they had been able to carry this burden, and it was not because they loved their children any less, but because they loved with a better kind of love. (p. 854)</p></blockquote><p>A simple search online will reveal hundreds of sites sharing great thoughts on this book; I won't bother to attempt anything to compete with them. I do, however, encourage you to read this trilogy if you haven't already, or if you haven't read it in many years. If the single volume intimidates you, find some copies of the three books individually. The new translation is more accessible than previous translations.</p><blockquote><p>Feeling of longing seemed to burst from her heart; they ran in all directions, like streams of blood, seeking out paths to all the places in the wide landscape where she had lived, to all her sons roaming through the world, to all her dead lying under the earth. (p. 1062)</p></blockquote><p>Highly recommended. </p><p><i>I have received nothing in exchange for this review. Links to Amazon, Bookshop, and PaperBackSwap are affiliate links. I purchased this book with a gift card from my brother's family.</i></p>Kansas Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05131202850905040552noreply@blogger.com