October 2025 Book Reports

Dream School: Finding the College that's Right for You by Jeffrey Selingo - link to my post (library copy)

Persuasion by Jane Austen - I read this with my book club. It was my third time reading it, I think, and I loved it more than ever. Anne is a woman to look up to, one who has faced disappointment and bears it quietly and bravely while responding to the nonsense of her rotten family with kindness. (I received this beautiful box set as a gift many years ago. The designs on the covers wear away if you read them, but I read them anyway.)

General Biology by Heather Ayala and Katie Rogstad - link to my post (purchased set)

Ourselves by Charlotte Mason (Home Education series volume 4) - I finished part I of Ourselves in 2021, and finally finished part II in 2025. In Mater Amabilis, we use parts of Ourselves in the high school Health course and the remainder in the high school Government and Civics courses. The book presents any of Mason's ideas about education and self-control written directly to the student. It is a little forced at times, but can be useful. One note: if you have a child or loved one who is blind, her use of blindness as a metaphor may not fit your loved one's experiences, but it is only appears in one or two places in the book. I bought this first in paperback from Living Book Press, and had some problems with pages coming out. I probably could have contacted the publisher for a refund or another copy, but instead I decided to upgrade and bought the hardcover, which is a great format.  (purchased new from the publisher)

Logic as a Liberal Art by R. E. Houser - My older daughter wanted a logic course, so I asked a colleague of my husband's for a recommendation. I read the book but didn't do all the exercises. My daughter did the ones with answers in the back. Overall, this is a good introduction to logic. It's something a motivated homeschool student can use to study independently, but it is challenging. (used my son's copy from his college class)

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October and November 2024 Book Reports

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger - This was our book club read for the month, and I absolutely loved it. I read it at the airport and on a couple of flights, finishing it in just over 24 hours. I will definitely be reading it again. (purchased copy)

The 272: The Families Who Were Enslaved and Sold to Build the American Catholic Church by Rachel L. Swarns - Kansas Dad recommended I read this book. "In 1838, a group of America's most prominent Catholic priests sold 272 enslaved people to save their largest mission project, what is now Georgetown University." It echoed many of the themes in The History of Black Catholics in the United States, but with even more modern sources. It is good to be aware of the sins of the past and to think deeply about how we can be a part of the reconciliation process. (Kansas Dad's purchased copy)

Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers - This is one of the novels recommended for Level 6 Year 2 (twelfth grade) in the Mater Amabilis English plans. I read it a little ahead of First Daughter. I haven't read any other Peter Wimsey novels, but I enjoyed this one. As I neared the end, I certainly neglected some of my chores because I was eager to read more. First Daughter loved it and promptly checked out every Peter Wimsey book she could find at the library. (shared by a member of PaperBackSwap.com)

Paul for Everyone: Romans Part One by N. T. Wright - I read the older version of Romans for Everyone, and am not entirely sure I should count it as its own book since there's a Part Two. (I'll get to that one, too.) I'll quote what I wrote about a different book in the Paul for Everyone series:

N. T. Wright is an Anglican priest and an expert on Paul. Using his own translations, he provides Scripture in short selections (but with nothing missing) and then thoughtfully reflects on them, always including a relevant story from his own life. For the most part, Wright's commentaries have nothing contrary to the Catholic faith, but it is good to have a knowledge of the major differences between Anglican and Catholic beliefs when reading, like the differences between the recognized books of the Bible and those of Jesus' immediate family. (purchased used)

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August and September 2024 Book Reports

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - I had read this book before, perhaps during my high school or college years, but I wanted to read it again before First Daughter did. It is one of the novels scheduled for English in Level 6 Year 2 (twelfth grade). It was at least as depressing as I remembered, but I found myself appreciating how it highlighted the malaise and aimlessness of the wealthy 1920s crowd. I think many of the same symptoms are still thriving in American society. I'm glad we have it scheduled. First Daughter thought all the characters are terrible, as she should. (purchased copy)

On Writing Well by William Zinsser - This is another book from the English course for the Mater Amabilis curriculum, though it's from Level 6 Year 1 (eleventh grade) and I finished it after First Daughter. I love how we have writing books scheduled for Level 6. They are good companions to the more basic writing guides we use in Level 5. (The Level 6 Year 2 book is The Office of Assertion. Zinsser's book is full of good advice the student can incorporate immediately into narrations and the longer essays assigned in the course. (PaperBackSwap.com)

The River and the Source by Margaret A. Ogola - I have seen this book recommended so many times over the years as a free geography read for Africa. For many years, it was out of print in the United States. Unlike many books available for geography, it was written by a Kenyan woman (not an American or Britain who lived in Kenya, or even a Kenyan who moved to the US or Great Britain). The author drew on stories told by her mother and grandmother about her great-grandmother. The book follows generations of the family through colonization and modernization. It's an excellent choice for a high school geography student, though given the time periods covered, a parent may want to pre-read. There are definitely some difficult topics. I was surprised at how small the printed pages are inside the book compared to the size of the book itself. I think the margins on all four sides are at least 2"! (purchased copy)

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February 2024 Book Reports

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

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

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

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

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

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

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November 2023 Book Reports

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

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

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

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Music Appreciation: How to Listen To and Understand Great Music

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

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

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

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

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

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September 2023 Book Reports

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

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

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

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

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July 2023 Book Reports

Into the Deep: An Unlikely Catholic Conversion by Abigail Rine Favale - I first read Favale's newer book, The Genesis of Gender. I bought this book and read it quickly when I thought I would be able to hear her speak at a conference. Sadly that didn't work out, but the book was worth reading. It's the heart-wrenching story of Favale's conversion. She was raised evangelical, discarded that belief for postmodern feminism and intellectualism, but surprised herself by converting to Roman Catholicism. Favale writes with skill and humility of her failings and yearnings. Anyone who has struggled with balancing feminism and faith may find her book illuminating. (purchased copy)

How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity by Amanda and Jonathan Teixeira - link to my post (purchased copy)

Jane Austen's Genius Guide to Life: On Love, Friendship, and Becoming the Person God Created You to Be by Haley Stewart - This is a perfect book for anyone who loves Jane Austen. It discusses each of Austen's main books (Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Mansfield Park, Sense and Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, and Persuasion) with a focus on a virtue. I read it on my own, but it would be fun to do with a book club. It would also make an excellent companion for a teenager reading all of Austen's novels. It does have spoilers, so I recommend reading the Austen novel before the corresponding chapter. (received as a gift)

Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington (Nugi Garimara) - This is an excellent book for the Mater Amabilis high school geography course that includes Australia. It is based on the true story of three sisters who escape from the government to return to their Aboriginal family. The events are sometimes heart-breaking and frightening, but it provides insight into a world my children have never known. (received from a member of PaperbackSwap.com)

Tales of Japan: Traditional Stories of Monsters and Magic illustrated by Kotaro Chiba - This book is part of a series of Tales from Chronicle Books. The book is a lovely hardcover with dramatic illustrations. It is recommended in the Mater Amabilis curriculum for Level 3 Year 2 (seventh grade). It is indeed a book full of monsters and magic, and some of the stories would be frightening for young or sensitive readers. Second Son did just fine with them; in fact, he enjoyed them. I don't know enough about Japanese tales to say if they are good choices but the sources in the back do seem to be Japanese. (purchased used)

Losing Our Dignity: How Secularized Medicine Is Undermining Fundamental Human Equality by Charles Camosy - link to my post (purchased copy)

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Making Money off the Poor: Poverty, By America

Poverty, By America by Matthew Desmond

Matthew Desmond argues America has a higher level of poverty compared to most other rich nations of the world because people and companies in America make money by providing services to the poor and by requiring them to pay more for many things simply because they are poor.

It's a tight knot of social maladies. It is connected to every social problem we care about--crime, health, education, housing--and its persistence in American life means that millions of families are denied safety and security and dignity in one of the richest nations in the history of the world. (p. 23)

He explores how our society, laws, and communities exploit the poor by:

• driving down wages
• increasing costs of housing (higher mortgage rates, rents higher than mortgage payments)
• forcing the poor to pay more for credit or to use payday loans
• creating tax cuts for property owners rather than programs for the poor
• excluding the poor from areas that provide the best education and job opportunities

It's easy to blame these problems on huge corporations and billionaires, but they benefit all stockholders, and many of us (myself included) invest in retirement accounts, accounts that purchase and hold stocks. We are also complicit when we oppose higher density housing or integrated economic housing near our neighborhoods.

Poverty isn't simply the condition of not having enough money. It's the condition of not having enough choice and being taken advantage of because of that. (p. 78)

For example, providing more money for housing without providing more affordable housing means rents will increase. The money benefits the landlords, rather than the poor.

The author makes bold claims and doesn't shirk to note what it might take to address poverty in dramatic ways.

Sharing opportunities previously hoarded doesn't mean everyone wins. It means that those who have benefitted from the nation's excesses will have to take less so that others may share in the bounty. (p. 118) 

The author provides some possible ways to address poverty in meaningful ways, most of which I think would be interesting to discuss in our public policy debates. 

We can't just spend our way out of this. Over the past fifty years, we've tried that--doubling antipoverty aid per capita--and the poverty line hasn't meaningfully budged. A big reason why is that we insist on supporting policies that accommodate poverty, not ones that disrupt it. (p. 137) 

I am including this book in a Modern Government class organized around Catholic Social Teaching. It's a year-long course, but most of my students will spread it over two years in Level 6 (eleventh and twelfth). 

I first checked this book out of the library, but only skimmed it before deciding to buy our own copy.

I have received nothing for this post. I purchased the book. Links to Amazon and Bookshop are affiliate links.

Conversion of the Heart and Mind: Apologia Pro Vita Sua

Apologia Pro Vita Sua 

by St. John Henry Cardinal Newman

This book is recommended for Level 6 Year 2 in the Mater Amabilis high school religion plans (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.

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. 

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 Apologia Pro Vita Sua. 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.

Newman spent years reading and praying, on the brink of converting but hesitating. His Apologia offers some explanation for his reticence.

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)

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. 

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)

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.

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 Apologia 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.

When my son was reading it, we paused reading a few chapters in to read Joyce Sugg's John Henry Newman: Snapdragon in the Wall, which was helpful in providing Newman's basic background and some context for the Apologia. I plan to assign Sugg's book to my future kids, but it could also be a good family read-aloud.

If your high school student struggles a little with dense texts, you could assign Sugg's book and some excerpts of the Apologia. That would still provide an excellent foundation for learning about Newman's life.

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.

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

November 2022 Book Reports

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall 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)

Out of Many, One: Portraits of America's Immigrants by George W. Bush - link to my post (borrowed copy from my dad) 

A Mercy 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)

To Say Nothing of the Dog 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, Three Men in a Boat. Back in 2020, I wrote:

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)

 I'm sure the book is good, but the audiobook is an absolute delight.

Murder on the Orient Express 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)

Leona by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino - I was looking on PaperBackSwap for books by this author because I love her book My Heart Lies South. 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)

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston - link to my post (library copy)

Two Old Women: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival 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)

The Yellow Fairy Book 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 Blue Fairy Book after that because my younger kids don't remember it. (purchased used)

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September 2022 Book Reports

Talking Leaves by Joseph Bruchac - link to my post (library copy)

The Foundations of Western Civilization by Thomas F. X. Noble (Great Courses audiobook) - This is one of the honors selections for high school history in the Mater Amabilis plans for Level 5 and Level 6. 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)

Works of Mercy by Sally Thomas - link to my post (purchased copy)

Robinson Crusoe 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 PaperBackSwap.com)

Herodotus and the Road to History 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)

Post Captain by Patrick O'Brien - This is the second in the Captain Aubrey series, which begins with Master and Commander. 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 PaperBackSwap.com)

Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment 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 audiobook)

The Pink Motel by Carol Ryrie Brink - This book by the author of Caddie Woodlawn 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)

Walking the Nile 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)

Two Gentlemen of Verona 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)

Grace Can Lead Us Home: A Christian Call to End Homelessness by Kevin Nye - link to my post (library copy)

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August 2022 Book Reports

 

River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile by Candace Millard - link to my post (purchased copy)

The Skeptic's Guide to American History by Mark A. Stoler (Great Courses) - This is one of the honors selections for high school history in the Mater Amabilis lesson plans. 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 (Land of Hope), 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 more.) (published audiobook)

Nordic Gods and Heroes by Padraic Colum - This is one of the books of myths and legends added recently to Mater Amabilis's Level 3 lesson plans. This particular edition has the same style of illustrations by Willy Pogany as Colum's The Children's Homer, 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)

Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart by Father Jacques Philippe - link to my post (received as a gift from my son)

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

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

An Essential Book: Searching for and Maintaining Peace

Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart
by Father Jacques Philippe

I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

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)

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.

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.

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.

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

Faith and Medical Ethics: Losing Our Dignity

Losing Our Dignity: How Secularized Medicine Is Undermining Fundamental Human Equality
by Charles C. Camosy

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.

Dr. Camosy explains how the philosophy of secularized medicine developed, and how that philosophy is not neutral in making medical decisions.

...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)

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.

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:

[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)

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. 

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.

Medical science and tests can be used to determine whether death has taken place, but deciding what death is in the first place can be determined only by asking theological questions. (p. 47)

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.

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

Adventures from Europe to Mongolia: Season One of the Far From Home Podcast

Far From Home

I learned of this podcast when listening to a recent Planet Money podcast episode. I was immediately intrigued by this modern day adventure story of two brothers traveling from London to Mongolia in the Mongol Rally in 2016. First Daughter is studying the Middle East, Central Asia, and India this year in her geography course (Level 5, tenth grade), and I thought this might be a good option for one of the two supplemental books on the region. Not knowing what to expect, I listened to all of season one before assigning it.

Scott Gurian and his brother, Drew, along with two other friends, drove their ridiculously tiny cars through tunnels, over mountains, and through rivers. They travelled 11,000 miles and visited almost twenty countries, including some, like Iran, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, which are infrequently visited by Americans.

The podcast does include some strong language and slightly mature references, but nothing that I find concerning for my high schooler. Overall, it's a great introduction to lots of countries and modern travel. Russia's invasion of Ukraine stymied the Mongol Rally in 2022 (replaced with a new offer of adventure from the organizers), but we can experience the 2016 Rally vicariously through this podcast. (Let's be honest: I would never attempt the Mongol Rally. But I love listening to adventures like this.)

I intend to continue listening to the podcast, but have currently only finished season one, which is the only season I will assign. I imagine you can find Far From Home wherever you listen to podcasts. (I just use Google's app on my phone.)

You can find the Mater Amabilis high school Geography plans here. I would recommend assigning these lectures once a week after finishing the earth studies book in the first term (The Seashell on the Mountaintop). A student wouldn't quite have time to finish them at that speed, so you could either skip some episodes or extend them past the end of the year. I intend to double them up for First Daughter, but she loves to listen to books and lectures on her phone while outside running around so an additional episode a week won't be a problem for her. On her own time, I will probably also ask her to read I am Malala (Young Reader's Edition) and Everything Sad Is Untrue, but those are both relatively quick reads for her. She will narrate the Far From Home episodes, but not the other two books.

List of Episodes

01: Getting Started (29 min) and (optional) 01a: Bonus Episode (10 min)

02: What Kind of Car Do You Drive to Mongolia? (30 min)

03: What Will We Eat? (22 min)

04: Final Preparations Before the Big Day (31 min) and (optional) 04a: For a Good Cause (12 min)    

05: Hitting the Road (28 min)

06: Mad Dash Across Europe (28 min)

07: The Real Rally Begins (30 min)

08: Not What We Expected (25 min)

09: An Eye-Opening Experience (28 min)

10: Culture Clash (35 min)

11: Just Plain Weird (37 min) and (optional) 11a: Bonus Episode - Voices from the Door to Hell (6 min)

12: Breaking Down (24 min)

13: Should We Stay or Should We Go? (32 min)

14: From Bad to Worse (25 min)

15: Whatever It Takes (34 min)

16: The Roads Get Rougher (30 min)

17: Stranded (31 min)

18: Wrong Way (26 min)

19: One Surprise After Another (32 min)

20: The Going  Gets Tough (32 min)

21: A Costly Mistake (30 min)

22: The Longest Day Ever (26 min)

23: The Finish Line (37 min)

24: Looking Back (39 min)

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

Dreams Deferred: A Raisin in the Sun

A Raisin in the Sun

by Lorraine Hansberry

This title of this play comes from the Langston Hughes poem, "Harlem," in which he asks

What happens to a dream deferred / Does it dry up / like a raisin in the sun?

Three generations of the Younger family live in a cramped apartment full of faded furniture. An anticipated insurance payout check might change all their lives forever. 

Though first performed in 1959, the themes of justice, hopefulness, and the grinding weariness of inescapable poverty remain relevant.

I am considering using this book in our senior spring as a substitute for Invisible Man, which I pre-read earlier in the school year and decided not to assign to First Son. The play is obviously much shorter, so I would also find some additional resources. I still have a few years before my second child will be a senior.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. I received the book as a gift. Links to Bookshop are affiliate links. 

Becoming Whole: Everything Sad Is Untrue

Everything Sad is Untrue (a true story)

by Daniel Nayeri

This is a heart-breaking but hopeful story of Christian conversion, fatwas, escape, divorce, a refugee camp, abuse, bullying, and isolation. Though fictionalized, it is based heavily on the author's own experiences as an immigrant to Oklahoma as a young child. 

Daniel's mother converts to Christianity while visiting family in England. Upon her return to Iran, she seeks out an underground church. Inevitably, she is discovered and must flee the country. Her husband stays behind, but she takes her young daughter and son, Daniel. They hide first in the U.A.E., then stay in a refugee camp in Italy. When they finally reach America, they settle in Oklahoma, where she marries another Iranian immigrant who abuses her. Daniel struggles to understand his memories of Iran, his father's abandonment, his step-father's abuse, and his feelings of isolation in the United States.

The book is written as if Daniel is telling his story, including those of his ancestors and parents, to his school teacher and fellow students. There is a parallel drawn between Scheherazade's 1001 tales to save her life night after night and Daniel's story to breach the gulf between him and his fellow students. Scheherazade wants the king to love her, and Daniel in his way wants his classmates to love him. I think he's also using the stories to understand who he is and why he is worth loving.

The Christian faith is integral to the story. Daniel's mother risks her riches, her security, her job, and her husband when she becomes a Christian, but once she knows Christianity is True, there is no returning to her old life. Her dedication to the faith and perseverance through all her suffering is a testament to Christianity that most of us will never be able to give, and yet it's a relatively small part of the book itself. Her faith causes all of their problems, ruins Daniel's life, and yet he does not regret it. He admits all their difficulties, and the pain and sorrow he feels as a direct result, but there is no blame or ridicule. His mother is a continual source of love and goodness for him. It is pleasant to find a recent book so respectful of a Christian faith widely promoted and awarded in the publishing and bookselling industry.

Interwoven throughout the story are references to the history and myths of Iran, as well as what few memories Daniel has of his early years there. His explanations of the differences in the cultures of his home country and his adopted one show how our cultural expectations can damage relationships before they even begin, and how beneficial it is to learn about other cultures. 

Parts of the book are beautifully written, but the child narrator slides often into a more vernacular language so the book is quite accessible. There are many references to food, blood, and poop.

I have read many reviews praising the audiobook, read by the author. I would love to listen to it, so I could hear the Persian names and Parsi pronounced correctly, but I'm certain I would cry through much of it. I would not recommend listening to it while driving.

The child narrator suits a middle grade reading level for the book, but parts of it are so very sad, I am not sure I would share it with my own children at that age, unless they were refugees or immigrants, or perhaps if they were encountering refugees or immigrants more in their lives. I think it might work as a historical novel for Level 4 (eighth grade) when we are studying twentieth century history. I'm going to include it as a supplemental read for our high school geography course for the Middle East, Central Asia, and India (Level 5, tenth grade). At that age, the reading level will be easy, but the subject matter will still be difficult.

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

Talking to Ourselves: Chatter

Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It

by Ethan Kross

I heard about this book on an episode of The Happiness Lab (great podcast for older teens and adults with regular advice on choosing wisely for what will really make us happy, even if they don't acknowledge the benefit of a benevolent and merciful God). 

Dr. Kross is a psychologist who studies how we talk to ourselves and how we can use our will and reason to adjust that inner voice for our short and long term benefit. He begins with a few chapters describing what the inner voice is and research on how it important it is.

...we use our minds to write the story of our lives, with us as the main character. Doing so helps us mature, figure out our values and desires, and weather change and adversity by keeping us rooted in a continuous identity. (p. 15)

When our inner voice descends into "chatter," however, it can damage our ability to solve problems and destroy our peace. Sharing about the illness of Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, Dr, Kross explains:

What her experience shows us in singularly vivid terms is how deeply we struggle with our inner voice--to the point where the stream of verbal thoughts that allows us to function and think and be ourselves could lead to expansively good feelings when it's gone...Not only can our thoughts taint experience. They can blog out nearly everything else. (p. 19)

The author then goes through all sorts of ways we can address our own chatter and ways others can help us (and how we can help others). These are presented with plenty of background information and advice, but the end of the book includes a section called "The Tools" which clearly and succinctly presents all the tools. You should really read the book to learn how best to implement these, but you can just flip to the back of the book for a quick burst of information. You'll find tools you can implement on your own, ones that involve other people, how to receive support, and how to modify your environment to reduce chatter.

This book provides a great synthesis of all sorts of research and advice I've seen here and there. It's also extensively researched, with copious endnotes and references to published studies. (I did notice one reference to a student who learned during her genealogical research that she is a descendent of George Washington through his slaves. This surprised me greatly and a brief search online found these claims are highly contested. I imagine they took her word for it, but I would probably have left that bit of her story out of the book.)

It is also a book of its time, supportive of nontraditional lifestyles and, while appreciative of the psychological benefits of being an involved member of a faith community, dismissive of the possibility of an actual greater being who bestows peace or grace on anyone. This attitude was not unexpected or  overbearing.

If any of my remaining homeschooling children want a high school psychology course, I will include this book. I will probably add it to our health course as a free read (but required reading) for all the others. I believe the knowledge of this book would be a great asset for college students and young adults (and everyone else, too).

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Bookshop are affiliate links. I borrowed this book from our library (though I intend to acquire a copy for our homeschool).

Examining the Foundation: Psychology Handbook for a Windy World

Psychology Handbook for a Windy World

by Mary O'Keefe Daly

Mary Daly cared deeply about young people. She wrote many books of science from a Catholic perspective. A few years before her untimely death, she finished this psychology textbook, a book she wrote because she wanted to give high school students interested in psychology a firm grounding in the philosophy of psychological studies (or lack thereof).

First Son originally thought he might study psychology in college, so I chose this book for him for a high school half-credit in psych, thinking it would be a good foundation. It was not quite what I expected; there is little of the traditional introductory psych material. Instead, it focuses on how a psychologist thinks about the world, and how that thought-process has diverged from what we might consider a Catholic view of creation and humanity. Armed with this knowledge, a student can better discern what a psychology study actually tells us about people and how we think, while recognizing when they draw incomplete or inaccurate conclusions in philosophical and theological realms.

I did think it was sometimes a little difficult to follow. The author seemed to have so very much to share that it almost tumbled out onto the page.

I still think it's an excellent book for a Catholic high school student interested in psychology. If I were to use it again, I would like to pair it with a text that covers some more conventional introductory material. I haven't gone looking for anything in particular, though, since so far I don't have another high school student interested in psychology. (First Daughter is now in tenth grade and is loading her schedule with history, civics, and government.)

Mary Daly passed away in 2021, and she will be greatly missed in the world of Catholic education. Mater Amabilis recommends quite a few of her books. We are deeply indebted to her children, some of whom have chosen to maintain her business and continue to sell her books.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. None of the links are affiliate links. I purchased my own copy of this book.