September 2025 Book Reports

The Song at the Scaffold by Gertrud von le Fort - This book of historical fiction imagines the life of Blanche de la Force, who enters a convent full of fear, a fear that is perhaps her very gift to God as the French Revolution's Reign of Terror comes for the convent. It's based on the true stories of the Carmelite nuns of Compiègne, who sang as they were taken to the guillotine, offering themselves as a sacrifice. (purchased copy)

A Jesuit's Guide to the Stars: Exploring Wonder, Beauty, and Science by Brother Guy Consolmagno - Brother Guy is one of my heroes. I've read many of his books and they all speak eloquently of the wonder of creation, and how science can lead us to a deeper relationship with God. This book is full of gorgeous photographs and a bibliography of more wonderful books. Highly recommended. (received as a gift from my son)

The Rule of St. Benedict - Excerpts of the Rule are included in the second volume of the Mater Amabilis religion readings, but I decided to read the whole thing as it's not very long. This is a foundational text for the Catholic faith. (Kansas Dad's copy, but freely available online)

The Modern Scholar: Tolkien and the West: Recovering the Lost Tradition of Europe by Michael Drout - Professor Drout is an enthusiastic and enjoyable lecturer. I picked this up during a sale after listening to his another lecture series from the Modern Scholar, The Anglo-Saxon World (which is one of the honors texts for Mater Amabilis high school history). I enjoyed learning more about Tolkien, especially since I had recently read his essay on fairy tales. (purchased audiobook)

1066: The Year That Changed Everything by Jennifer Paxton - This is one of the Great Courses available on Audible. I'm sure I picked it up during one of the 2-for-1 sales (love those). This series is only about three hours long, but was fascinating as someone who has studied English history with my kids through many levels. (purchased audiobook)

Ode to Saint Cecilia - a Radio Theatre production from the Augustine Institute. I bought a few of these radio dramas during a sale because I thought the kids might enjoy them. It's well written, well performed, and well produced. Recommended! (purchased audiobook)

Martin Rising: Requiem for a King by Andrea Davis Pinkney - I listened to this as an audiobook based on a recommendation. It's a poem describing the end of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life. To be honest, it's not my favorite book from the Pinkneys, but it might make a good complement to a fuller study of Marting Luther King, Jr. (purchased audiobook)

Othello by William Shakespeare - I do not assign Othello to my high school students, but I have always wanted to read it myself. So I did! You can find lots of excellent information on Shakespeare and Othello online, so I won't try to write anything fancy. Read Shakespeare! The more you read, the better it gets! (purchased copy)

The Ballad of the White Horse by G. K. Chesterton - I've had this book on my shelf for ages after picking it up at a library book sale. I think I was finally inspired to read it by references in the Drout lectures on Tolkien I listened to earlier this month. Chesterton wrote this epic poem as a romance, a story to inspire a love of country and of faith. It's not my favorite epic poem (I suppose that would have to be The Odyssey, though I don't read epic poetry much for fun.), but I'm glad I read it. (purchased used copy, available free online)

Andy Catlett: Early Travels by Wendell Berry - This is a short novel set in Berry's Port William community when Andy Catlett is nine and takes a trip by himself to his grandparent's house. Told from his point of view at the end of his life, it's a book steeped in family and gratitude. I think Berry glosses over many of the difficulties in the small community life he champions, but he writes beautifully and it is still good to be reminded of what we can appreciate and value in times past and in modern times. (Kansas Dad's copy)

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

August 2025 Book Reports

That Hideous Strength by C. S. Lewis -  link to my post about the whole trilogy (received as a gift from my brother-in-law)

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - A friend and I both read this book in preparation for the Netflix movie. Then she and her husband came and watched with my and Kansas Dad, which was fun. I was surprised to realize I had never read it before. It's a much more philosophical book than I expected, with relatively little "action." There are a lot of important questions raised by the book about moral development, scientific advancements, responsibility, mercy, and forgiveness. I'm glad I read it. (library copy)

The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder - I picked this up at a library sale years ago. I was thinning our easier chapter books and decided to read it myself. April has to deal with some pretty heavy topics (neglect and a murderer on the lose), which surprised me. Overall, my younger son and I agreed that it was just an ok book, and not worth the shelf space anymore. (purchased copy)

The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Deah - This book was recommended by a local bookstore owner for a summer reading challenge. He actually recommended it for my 17 year old daughter, but I ended up reading it instead. I think I would let her read it, if she wanted, but I didn't hand it over to her. The book alternates between Leningrad in 1941 and modern day America. Marina, a Russian immigrant, is suffering from Alzheimer's, and her past and present become more confused in her mind. It's beautifully written, though tragic. (purchased copy)

Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan - This is a lovely book tracing the path of a magical harmonica through the hands of three children during the second world war. I listened to the audiobook edition, and the inclusion of musical performances throughout elevate the audiobook; it's one of the few books that are truly better as audiobooks. I was so absorbed in the story that I found myself hiding in my bedroom long after I finished folding clothes to keep listening. Though this book is enjoyable for all ages, it's definitely written at more of a middle grade level. Highly recommended. (purchased audiobook)

Humility Rules by J. Augustine Wetta - link to my post (parish library copy)

Travelers to Unimaginable Lands: Stories of Dementia, the Caregiver, and the Human Brain by Dasha Kiper - This book, written by a therapist for caregivers of loved ones with dementia, explores how the healthy functioning of the human brain in the caregiver can exacerbate friction in the relationship, mainly by preventing the caregiver from reacting "logically" to the actions of their loved one. It's written with great compassion for caregivers and their struggles. (library copy)

Memory is so integrated into every aspect of life--from thinking, to communicating, to forming and sustaining relationships, to creating continuity, meaning, and coherence--that its disappearance is incomprehensible. We simply have no cognitive framework that allows for its absence in others. (p. 19)

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

July 2025 Book Reports

10,000 Days of Thunder: A History of the Vietnam War by Philip Caputo - I have assigned sections of this book to my Level 4 students for twentieth century history from the beginning. My youngest finished Level 4 this year, and I was preparing my history resources to sell. I decided to quickly read the whole book before getting rid of it. I don't know very much about the Vietnam War, but overall I think this is an excellent overview and two-page deep dives into lots of different issues. I felt like it gave multiple points of view for lots of the issues as well. (purchased used copy)

James by Percival Everett - This was a recommendation from Kansas Dad. It's a retelling of Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the point of view of Jim, the runaway slave. In this book, slaves have much more agency over their actions and emotions, though not much more over their fates. Neither of these books rank among my favorites, but I am glad I have read them. (Kansas Dad's copy)

All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot - I always turn to Herriot when I want something uplifting. He often encounters difficult cases and difficult people, but all of his stories confirm the underlying goodness of creation and people. (purchased audiobook)

Very Good, Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse - This Wodehouse is part of the Bertie and Jeeves series. I love listening to Wodehouse when I want something lighthearted and witty. Always entertaining. (purchased audiobook)

Manahatta by Mary Kathryn Nagle - This is a play interweaving the life of a Native American woman on Wall Street during the 2008 mortgage crisis with her and her family's ancestors living in the New York City area at the time the Dutch arrived. (found copy of the play online)

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

April 2025 Book Reports

Elizabeth and Her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim - This was recommended after I enjoyed The Enchanted April. I was surprised to find it's not fiction, but rather a kind of diary of a year in a German garden. Elizabeth finds solace in her making her garden beautiful, though she must do so through the hands of gardeners. Behind the garden record are comments and frustrations of life in Germany for an English woman with many small children and a haughty husband. A love of gardening will increase your enjoyment of the book. (purchased audiobook)

Life Among the Savages by Shirley Jackson - This is another book I selected when looking for something light and funny. There are some absolutely hilarious stories in the book, but it's also a glimpse into the life of an amazing woman in rural Vermont with her growing family. (purchased audiobook)

September 11, 2001 by Brendan January - The library discarded the book my older children read in Level 4 (eighth grade) on the attacks on the World Trade Towers, so I had to find another one for my youngest. This is a short read perfect for one or two lessons that covers the attacks from many angles. (library copy)

Pinocchio with Reflections on a Father's Love by Carlo Collodi, reflections by Franco Nembrini - I read this with my book club. I read Pinocchio aloud to my kids back in 2016, when they ranged from 11 to 6, and it was perfect. The book club edition includes little essays after each of the chapters to make connections between the story and our modern lives. The reflections were mixed. Some comments were helpful and some less so. (purchased copy)

The Eighth Arrow by J. Augustine Wetta - link to my post (received as a gift from my son)

Tales from the Perilous Realm by J.R.R. Tolkien - link to my post (Christmas gift); read in February 2025, but left off the post, so included here.

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

June 2024 Book Reports

Watership Down by Richard Adams - I was surprised to learn the author created this story for his daughters. Not only are female rabbits missing entirely until after the wandering rabbits establish a new warren (how did they think that would work?), but when the female rabbits appear, they generally aren't worth talking about or emulating. Mostly I found this book slow going. I listened on audiobook and eventually sped up the recording to finish it more quickly. (Audible audiobook)

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro - I could read Ishiguro all day long. His ability to write so beautifully and yet with such dramatically different voices in all his novels amazes me. First Daughter bought this one for an honors level history course she took at a local university. They discussed it within their conversations about how not only to resolve violent conflicts in communities, but to live together peacefully after the conflict. What does forgiveness look like? How do people find a way forward without rewriting or erasing the past? (First Daughter's copy)

Meet Me at the Museum by Anne Youngson - A lonely woman writes to a prominent person at a museum. He has passed away, but a current employee responds. They soon begin a more intimate correspondence. I enjoyed it, but was disappointed in the portrayal of marriage. (purchased used)

Celestial Bodies by Jokha Alharthi - This novel weaves together the stories of three generations of inter-related families in Oman. I really enjoyed an introduction to the history and culture of country previously unknown to me. (purchased used)

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard - I read this with my book club. I enjoyed it much more than I did just two years ago. You can read my original review here. (received from a fellow member of PaperBackSwap.com)

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

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)

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

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.

June 2022 Book Reports

The Hearthstone of My Heart by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino - link to my post (purchased used copy)

Three Men in a Boat: To Say Nothing of the Dog 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, To Say Nothing of the Dog 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)

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate and The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate 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)

Peter Duck 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)

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

What they Mean: The Federalist Papers

Books that Matter: The Federalist Papers
by Joseph L. Hoffmann

First Son used the Mater Amabilis beta government plans, which included lots of primary source reading like some of the Federalist Papers. Sometimes he seemed to struggle to understand the context of the essays, especially ones in response to other essays. He would have benefitted from a lot more structure and support around them. He was reading other books, but they were more things read side-by-side with the primary sources rather than anything to hold them all together. At some point, I bought this audiobook (probably during a sale), thinking it would be just the thing.

This series of twelve lectures of about thirty minutes discusses many of the Federalist papers, the reason they were written, clearly explains what some of the more complicated language meant, and applies the arguments to the ongoing conversations of modern government.

The current Mater Amabilis government and civics plans have been revised, but now that I have this audiobook and The Birth of the Republic, I think I'm going to make a course focusing on the Constitution for a semester of government credit for First Daughter. I'm not sure she needs it, because she has already read extensively on the Constitution, but she'll love it. If she has time later one, I'll follow it up with a modern government course focused on current issues.

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

Classic Novels: Meeting the Challenge of Great Literature

Classic Novels: Meeting the Challenge of Great Literature
by Professor Arnold Weinstein (The Great Courses)

In this course, Professor Weinstein discusses some of the most challenging books of world literature in order to illuminate for listeners some of the themes within each one. His goal, I believe, is to encourage people to read these books, even if they are sometimes difficult, because they have something important to offer people as we think about how we live and our relationships with others. He also points out how they are part of the development of literature, as later authors write novels that play on the same themes or offer alternative viewpoints.

I love the Great Courses on Audible and listen to a wide range of topics. One of the aspects I appreciate about the ones focused on literature is that they help me to better appreciate books, even if I don't enjoy the books themselves. Wuthering Heights, for example, is a book I've read and listened to as an audiobook. I don't care for it much, but listening to Professor Weinstein's lectures on it, I could see how it accomplished something innovative.

The books covered by the course are:

• Moll Flanders by Defoe (1 lecture)
• Tristam Shandy by Sterne (1 lecture)
• Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Laclos (2 lectures)
• Père Goriot by Balzac (2 lectures)
• Wuthering Heights by Bronte (2 lectures)
• Moby Dick by Melville (2 lectures)
• Bleak House by Dickens (2 lectures)
• Madame Bovary by Flaubert (2 lectures)
• War and Peace by Tolstoy (2 lectures)
• The Brothers Karamazov (2 lectures)
• Heart of Darkness by Conrad (1 lecture)
• Death in Venice by Mann (1 lecture)
• "The Metamorphosis" by Kafka (1 lecture)
• The Trial by Kafka (1 lecture)
• Remembrance of Things Past by Proust (3 lectures)
• Ulysses by Joyce (3 lectures)
• To the Lighthouse by Wolfe (2 lectures)
• As I Lay Dying by Faulkner (2 lectures)
• One Hundred Years of Solitude by García Márquez (2 lectures)

I'm also always asking myself, "Is this something I would share with my high school students?" In this case, most of the novels covered would be tremendous challenges for a high school student. In addition, some of the themes addressed may be more explicit than you may want to include in your high school English class. I don't intend to assign any of them to my own students, but I would not be opposed to one of my children wanting to listen to this audiobook in senior year.

In the last lecture, Professor Weinstein mentioned Kierkagaard who, in the second chapter of Fear and Trembling, said:

An old proverb fetched from the outward aspect of the visible world says: “Only the man that works gets the bread.” Strangely enough this proverb does not aptly apply in that world to which it expressly belongs. For the outward world is subjected to the law of imperfection, and again and again the experience is repeated that he too who does not work gets the bread, and that he who sleeps gets it more abundantly than the man who works.

But in the world of literature, Professor Weinstein noted that we do have to work for our bread. We can read a book and get nothing out of it, but when we work, we reap the benefits. An apt reminder for Charlotte Mason's ideas of narration.

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

An American Odyssey: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

audiobook from Audible, performed by Elijah Wood

First Son is completing a blend of the beta Mater Amabilis high school plans and the updated ones, so I have to condense the six novels from Level 6 (eleventh and twelfth grades) into three novels for senior year. After talking with Kansas Dad and polling the Facebook group for thoughts, I think I've narrowed it down to four. I already own Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn on Audible, and I'm going to assign this to First Son as a free-time listen. He's not as devoted to audiobooks as First Daughter, but he'll find it easier than reading so I think we can squeeze it in as a fourth novel.

Mark Twain is not my favorite author, though I very much enjoyed his Joan of Arc. Listening to Elijah Wood's performance was vastly more enjoyable for me than reading the book would have been. He does a terrific job. It is a little disturbing for modern listeners to hear the language of the characters, but I feel like it's true to the historical dialogue Twain was invoking and the harshness of it to our ears is a reminder of the traumas of slavery and racism.

Because I listened to the book rather than reading it, I don't have many reliable quotes to share. My favorite parts of the book illuminated Huck's thought processes as he desperately tried to discern right and wrong in a world that honored the legal ownership of slaves. Twain skillfully reveals much of the despair and inequality of the institution of slavery, but without challenging it entirely, even though it was published after the Civil War.

I also loved the descriptions of the weather and natural world of the Mississippi River. Mark Twain knew that land inside and out and beautifully describes it, whether in narrative text or in the voice of Huckleberry Finn.

Huckleberry Finn lies at every town up and down the Mississippi. He lies even when he doesn't have anything to fear. Sometimes, these whoppers are tremendously entertaining, but I personally would have preferred half of them, and the ones remaining lasting only half as long. First Son will probably enjoy them more.

I'm pleased to include this book in our high school studies. It's a complicated book with lots of room for discussions and thoughts, most of which we won't cover explicitly, but I think it's an important American novel I'm sorry I missed before now. Now that I've read it, I feel sure I'll hear echoes of it in many other American works.

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

Myths Expanded and Reimagined: Circe

Circe: A Novel 
by Madeline Miller

Kansas Dad had talked about reading Circe for a while when I saw it come up in an Audible sale. I can't remember now whether it was one of the daily deals or in an actual sale. However it showed up, I bought it. He listened to it first, then eagerly waited for me to finish so we could talk about it.

First of all, the audiobook is fantastic. The reader did an excellent job portraying all the emotions of Circe, as well as changing her voice enough to identify other speakers. I found myself wanting to return to the audiobook not just to know what would happen next, but to enjoy listening to the voice reading.

In this novel, Ms. Miller imagines a life for Circe beyond what appears in mythology and the Odyssey. A reader familiar with mythology will be rewarded with references and allusions to many famous and infamous figures. We were particularly struck with the portions of the story (as I'm sure many are) that flank and include Odysseus's appearance on Circe's island, seeing him from outside Homer's telling. Much of it is newly imagined, of course, with modern ideas hovering under and behind the events.

Throughout the book, the author explores the meaning of mortality.

The book has many slow periods, but it was worth the time.

I intend to allow my daughter to listen to the audiobook at the end of ninth grade, after she's finished reading The Odyssey. There is one distressing scene of rape and plenty of violence, being based on Greek mythology, but I don't think it will be too graphic or upsetting for a 15 year old. I'll be interested to hear what she thinks of it.

I have received nothing for this post. I purchased the audiobook from Audible. Links to Amazon are affiliate links.

The Sounds of Enchantment: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight; Pearl; [and] Sir Orfeo

translated by J.R.R. Tolkien

This book was on First Son's optional reading list for ninth grade, but he opted to read something else instead. I never got around to it, either. Somehow, though, I ended up with an audiobook version of it from Audible. (It was probably on sale.) Anticipating First Daughter's ninth grade year (starting in the fall!), I decided I should give it a listen. First Daughter likes to read everything.

The introduction was illuminating; I hadn't understood before the different kinds of English epic forms and why Sir Gawain is not as popular as some others. So don't skip that.

I think I enjoyed this book immensely more by listening to it, rather than reading it. The sounds of the lines are integral to the form of the poems. I could readily hear aspects Tolkien mentioned in his introduction. We have a copy of the book itself (thanks to Kansas Dad's Great Books courses), but I intend to recommend First Daughter listen to the audiobook. She can read along if she likes.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon are affiliate links. Kansas Dad received a copy of the book as the teacher of a course. I guess I bought the audiobook, though I don't remember it!

Beauty and Hope in Tragedy: The Mountains Sing

The Mountains Sing

by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai

audiobook

The audiobook was a deal of the day from Audible. I bought it because I thought it might be a good one for our high school geography course, one that would trace much of recent Vietnamese history in the voice of a Vietnamese poet. Our library had the book, but the audiobook would pronounce the names and sayings properly.

Beauty and tragedy come alive in this far-reaching story following an extended family of a young girl as she grows into a woman, Guava by nickname, in Vietnam. The perspective from a non-American source is illuminating. Much of the language is as poetic and lyrical as you would hope from a celebrated poet like the author. I feel like I glimpsed something magnificent and true about Vietnam as I listened. The audiobook was a particularly powerful way to immerse myself in the story; she was an excellent performer.

Sometimes the language seemed a little forced to me. It's hard to know if that might be a problem with the translation or because modern America is not as welcoming to poetry in general as Vietnam may be, rather than any defect in the novel. I did sometimes think the narrator's voice was indistinguishable from her uncles. They tell significant portions of the story, but in language and details as she would.

The most difficult part of this book is simply the horror and tragedy Vietnam's people experienced in the past three or four generations. Guava's family suffers in every generation - from the Japanese, the Land Reform, and the Vietnam War and its aftermath. After a while, I had to take breaks from the story to listen to something less depressing and violent. For that reason, I've decided not to include it in our geography course. In some ways, it seems wrong to protect our teenagers from violence perpetrated towards families without the luxuries we have to do so, but just because such things happen doesn't mean we need to subject our children to them. There will be plenty of time for my kids to read or listen to this book in college or as adults. 

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

An Irish Story: The Hedge School

The Hedge School

by Gloria Whelan

I bought this book in paperback many years ago to read aloud to the children, but never got around to it. Recently, I found a copy in my Audible account and decided we'd listen to it in the van when the older one or two were not with us. (All together, at the moment, we are listening to Peter Duck.)

In this book set in the 1730s, Irish youth gather in the hedges for school while their country is under harsh English rule. It's a good historical novel showing some of the long-standing antagonism between England and Ireland. All the Irish in the novel are Catholic. One young man is even traveling to France to become a priest and return in secret to Ireland.

I enjoy sharing stories with my children that emphasize the value of education. Not only do the teacher and children sit outside in the cold and rain to do their lessons, they and their families are breaking the English law. They must keep even their ability to read and write a secret. And yet they study not just Irish and English, but Latin. The main character loves reading and reciting the Latin he learns.

My children enjoyed listening to the sometimes foolish risks of Padraic as he secretly plotted against the local English lords, but my daughter often worried about him when we had to stop while he was not yet in the clear. Because it was an audiobook, she would have to wait until our next time in the van to hear how he escaped the danger. 

I'm sure this is a lovely book on its own, but I particularly enjoyed listening to the narrator. He provided a wonderful voice for Padraic.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. I purchased the paperback version of the book from the publisher, Bethlehem Books, and the audiobook from Audible, an Amazon company. Links to Amazon are affiliate links.

Pondering the Marvels of Creation: Great Catholic Scientists

Great Catholic Scientists: Discoveries and Lives of Faith

Dr. Guy Consolmagno, SJ and Dr. Michelle Francl-Donnay

This is a wonderful little audiobook, almost like a collection of podcasts. Dr. Consolmagno and Dr. Francl-Donnay chat together about science and religion through the stories of Catholic scientists from all over the world and throughout history. They are collected in twelve chapters of 20-25 minutes each, focused on areas like medicine or mathematics, but freely wandering in the discussions.

Some of the featured scientists are saints. Some are famous. All of them are examples of real people doing science - showing up at work and persevering through mundane day-to-day activities.

Dr. Consolmango and Dr. Francl-Donnay talk often of the characteristics that make a good Catholic scientist (spoiler alert - they are the same ones that make a good scientist), but they also talk about some of the characteristics of a Catholic that provide a foundation of education, learning, and curiosity which allows a scientist to explore God's creation with joy. There are instances where their faith allowed a scientist to ask questions and be comfortable in areas of uncertainty.

I have assigned these lectures to my daughter, currently in eighth grade, at the beginning of her year, as a kind of introduction to science and how to think like a scientist. It's a lovely sweep through the history of science that touches on a wide variety of areas. So many secular books on science begin with an assumption that a person of faith cannot also be a person of science, an erroneous but pervasive assumption. This audiobook provides one more layer of protection for a student who can then more easily discard mistaken ideas like that as he or she is reading.

My daughter is listening to them straight through, but I think any individual lecture could be enjoyed without listening to all of them, and there's no real reason they must be in this particular order. Though I think the authors tried to follow a chronological order, there is a lot of overlap on the lectures. I've made a little list below in case someone wants to choose just one or two or wants to schedule them within a particular study.

Chapter 1 (4 min intro) and Chapter 2: What Makes a Scientist Catholic?
(Hildegard of Bingen, Georges Lemaître)
This is probably the lecture that most directly addresses the apparent disconnect between faith and reason. Instead, it suggests our faith leads directly to exploring the world and the universe, God's creation. Science as a discipline only makes sense if the universe is not random. Dr. Consolmango and Dr. Francl-Donnay find great joy and delight in their scientific studies.

Chapter 3: Overthrowing Aristotle
(Hildegard of Bingen, Albert the Great, José de Acosta, Athanasius Kircher)
In this chapter, they explain how changes in the world (stability, improvements in communications, large enough populations so some people can study just for the sake of knowledge, etc.) led to the sudden growth of "science." Catholic monasteries and universities were an integral part of this culture.

Chapter 4: Into the Depths of the Atom
(Henri Becquerel, George de Hevesy, Roger Boscovich, Amedeo Avogadro)
As Catholics, we already believe in the unseen and do not fear the mysterious. We also have faith that our experiences tell us something meaningful about the world. This chapter talks about mysteries, and how the most interesting answers and discoveries are the ones that lead to more questions.

Chapter 5: What Is Life?
(René Haüy, Louis Pasteur, Gregor Mendel, Marthe Gautier and Jérôme Lejeune)
This chapter begins with a discussion about a philosophical (and scientific) definition of life. It touches on the humanness of scientists. They have the same trials, controversies, and need to make a living as anyone else.

Chapter 6: Materia Medica
(Hildegard of Bingen, Georg Joseph Kamel, Pierre Joseph Pelletier, John Clark Sheehan, René Laennec, Ethelbert Blatter)
In this chapter, they discuss how a fallen world leads to illness but that God's creation and his gift to us of reason allow us to discover and develop methods of healing. Over the centuries, the Jesuits in particular have had the opportunities to explore the world, learning from other cultures, and regular communications with others to share that knowledge.

Chapter 7: Merciful Science
(Laudato Si', Mary Poonen Lukose, Bernardo Alberto Houssay, Carl Ferdinand Cori and Gerty Theresa Cori)
Pope St. John Paul II said that science and theology work together, like two wings that lift us to the contemplation of truth. We have obligations beyond just doing the science, always asking ourselves "What are the implications for the most vulnerable?"

Chapter 8: God’s Language
(Maria Gaetana Agnesi, Baron Augustin-Louis Cauchy, Pope Sylvester II)
This chapter focuses on mathematics and the question "how do you describe the world using mathematical equations?" For some, math is a kind of prayer, a focus on truth as the greatest earthly joy. “Mathematics forces you to confront the infinite.”

Chapter 9: Explorers of a New Space
(Sisters of the Holy Child Mary: Sisters Emilia Ponzoni, Regina Colombo, Concetta Finardi and Luigia Panceri; Mary Kenneth Keller, Mary Celine Fasenmyer, Francesco Faà di Bruno, Roberto Busa)
This chapter describes how an ambitious project to create a catalog of every known star begun in 1887 required the creation of new strategies and ways of thinking that, over time, evolved into digital humanities. Religious life and the support of the Church allow space and freedom for work to be done that doesn't fall into a three year grant cycle.

Chapter 10: Taking the Temperature of the World
(Jean Leurechon, Nicolas Steno, André-Marie Ampère, Alessandro Volta)
Communicating about science and what you've learned about the world depends on a system of measurement that is consistent from place to place and person to person. This chapter shares about some Catholics who devised reliable methods of quantification, thereby making more scientific discoveries possible.

Chapter 11: Not Where but What
(Angelo Secchi, James Macelwane, Eduard Heis, Agnes Mary Clerke)
This chapter looks at scientists who look beyond the earth's atmosphere or deep into the earth, beyond what we can measure directly. Many scientists never become famous, working in hidden lives at building a foundation of slow painstaking work for greater understanding. “Wherever your niche is, there’s something for you to do.”

Chapter 12: Our Place in the Universe
(Maximilian Hell, Johann Georg Hagen, Georges Lemaître)
This chapter shares the stories of three notable priest astronomers that gave us a sense of where we are in the universe: the scale of the solar system, the position of stars, the motions beneath our feet, and the origin of the universe itself.

Chapter 13: There is always more to know
(Marie Lavoisier, Blaise Pascal, René Descartes)
This final chapter summarizes many of the themes regarding faith and science that surface, submerge, and resurface in earlier chapters. Faith and science are not big books of facts that might agree or disagree with each other. Faith and science both allow us to "grapple with mysteries, the mysteries of how and why we came to be." It includes a litany of all the men and women of God (and science) included in the audiobook.

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

March and April 2020 Book Reports

Strangers in a Strange Land: Living the Catholic Faith in a Post-Christian World by Charles J. Chaput - link to my post (inter-library loan copy)

The Collected Tales of Nikolai Gogol by Nikolai Gogol, translated and annotated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky - link to my post (Kansas Dad's copy)

Why Buddhism Is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment by Robert Wright - This book would probably be better titled "How Successful Mindfulness Meditation Practices Seem to be Explained by Recent Scientific Research" but that's not quite as catchy. While the author takes some time to explain Buddhist philosophy, he's really only interested in the aspects of it that define and direct mindfulness meditation. Anything "religious" (Buddhist/Christian/etc.) is set aside, though respectfully. The supporting relationship between recent research and scholarship and mindfulness medication practices is fascinating. Kansas Dad (who was the first to listen to the book) was immediately asking questions about the Truth found in this modern research and how it might be related to what we know is True through our Catholic faith. He also found interesting lines of thought in considering past failures and potential successes in evangelizing amongst those who follow Buddhist philosophies. I am still thinking about this book and its implications. (purchased Audible book)

The Stand by Stephen King - Believe it or not, I didn't seek this book out in the midst of the impending pandemic. It literally just happened to be next on my list. I enjoyed reading it and found some scenes presented in unexpected ways. Overall, however, my view of the great battle between Good and Evil varies considerably from that of King which led directly to a feeling of dissatisfaction with the ending of the novel. I also know just enough biology and genetics to be distracted by what are probably inaccurate predictions of how such a deadly epidemic would happen. Of course, he didn't have the "luxury" of coronavirus in his past at that point. (library copy)

Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life by Steve Martin - I picked this book up at our library sale. I thoroughly enjoyed it, though it's certainly not for the young or sensitive reader. I was surprised at how thoughtful Steve Martin is and at the honesty with which he shared some of the difficulties in his life while still being respectful of the privacy of some of those closest to him. It was a good read. (purchased used)

Something Beautiful for God by Malcolm Muggeridge - This book is Mr. Muggeridge's comments on Mother Teresa and his interviews and television recordings with her. It's more a collection of thoughts than a focused book. It was interesting to read as a glimpse into how St. Teresa of Kolkata was viewed and understood in her own lifetime, but it's not a comprehensive book on her life or her philosophies. I enjoyed it, but it will not be the book I offer to my Level 4 student next year. (library copy)

The Last Whalers: Three Years in the Far Pacific with a Courageous Tribe and a Vanishing Way of Life by Doug Bock Clark - link to my post (library copy)

The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare (No Fear Shakespeare) - This is one of the recommended Shakespeare plays for high schoolers in the Mater Amabilis™ curriculum. (See the English course here.) While this play is much lighter-hearted than Hamlet, which First Son and First Daughter just finished reading, it still surfaces questions about marriage, fidelity, trust, and responsibility toward children. I'm not sure I'd consider it one of the top ten plays a student should study in high school, but if you've already read many of the more common ones, it's a good option. It's not too long and contains one of the most unusual stage directions of all time: "Exit, pursued by bear." (purchased copy)

Mother Teresa of Calcutta: A Personal Portrait by Fr. Leo Maasburg - link to my post (library copy)

It's Not What It Looks Like by Molly Burke - This was one of the better Audible originals offered free to members. I've never watched the author's YouTube channel, so her story was entirely new to me. I enjoyed her youthful voice and her ability to speak authentically for the blind and other disabled people. Her story includes some tough struggles with depression, anxiety, and suicide ideation, which could be difficult for some people to hear, but are shared to support and encourage others. (offered free to Audible members in August 2019)

Theatre of Fish: Travels through Newfoundland and Labrador by John Gimlette - I read Gilmette's Wild Coast and requested this because I enjoyed that one so much. Theatre of Fish is a little more depressing overall, though it has similar moments of witty remarks and insight. There are quite a few references to multiple instances of terrible abuse at the hands of priests or religious. (requested from PaperBackSwap.com)

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez translated by Gregory Rabassa - link to my post (requested from PaperBackSwap.com)

I have received nothing for this post. All opinions are honest and my own. Links to Amazon or PaperBackSwap are affiliate links.

February 2020 Book Reports

Mother Teresa: An Authorized Biography by Kathryn Spink - link to my post (from PaperBackSwap.com)

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr - This is a beautifully written book with a dissatisfying ending. I felt only sadness for the characters at the end. Endings don't have to be happy, but if unhappy, they must be meaningful. I suppose it might work as a commentary on war, but I felt only disappointment. (library copy)

How We Decide by Jonah Lehrer - I was considering adding this to our health reading for high school, which First Son is doing right now in tenth grade. It covers some useful information about how emotions and intuition can be beneficial when making decisions and when to set them aside and focus instead on more mathematical or logical considerations. The later chapter on morality was more problematic, mainly by discounting the possibility of natural law and an absolute truth. While not unexpected, it makes the book incomplete. Much of the earlier information is covered by other books and readings I have already scheduled, so we'll skip this one for school. (library copy)

The Merchant of Venice (No Fear Shakespeare) by William Shakespeare - First Daughter is reading this play now (seventh grade) and I wanted to refresh my memory by reading it again, if I ever read the whole thing. I do remember seeing it performed when I was in middle school. I think First Daughter will (mostly) love Portia. Shylock remains a baffling character. (purchased copy)

To Say Nothing of the Dog: Or How We Found the Bishop's Bird Stump at Last by Connie Willis - 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)

A Mind of Her Own by Paula McLain - This was one of those free audiobooks Audible offers to members each month. It is the fictionalized tale of Marie Curie as a struggling student in Paris. Frankly, I found it frustrating to listen to the narrator tell me how Marie Curie was feeling rather than showing me through action. I have no idea what it was really like for Curie in Paris as she met and finally married her husband, but I rather hope it wasn't like this book describes it. (free Audible book in March 2019)

Come and See: A Photojournalist's Journey into the World of Mother Teresa by Linda Schaefer - This photographer is more talented at photography than writing. While the pictures are a fascinating peek into Mother Teresa's work in India, the book overall falls short of what I would want to give my children for the Level 4 twentieth century biography. (library copy)

West with the Night by Beryl Markham - link to my post (library copy, then requested from PaperBackSwap.com)

I have received nothing for this post. All opinions are honest and my own. Links to Amazon or PaperBackSwap are affiliate links.

Begin by Looking Up: Introduction to Astronomy

An Introduction to the Universe: The Big Ideas of Astronomy

by Brother Guy Consolmagno

I recognized Brother Consolmagno's name from Brother Astronomer when I saw this audiobook and a few others in a recent Audible sale. This series of twelve audio lectures, each less than thirty minutes in length, begins with an exhortation to go outside and look at the sky, to document it over days, months, even a year.

It begins with wonder.

For Brother Guy, an astronomer with a degree from M.I.T. and a position at the Vatican Observatory, the night sky and the big ideas of astronomy connect directly to our Creator. He covers a wide range of astronomical topics in a conversational manner, none of them in the kind of detail you would encounter in an astronomy course, but all of them with delight. He also balances well the scientific rigor of the academic world with the rational exploration of how those academic facts and ideas inform our spiritual lives.

My husband is a Catholic theologian and I am a scientist by training (a biology degree many years in the past). This course includes many of the ideas and questions we want our children to consider. It will be, I think, a perfect "introduction" to a brief look at astronomy (currently planned for third term of junior year in high school; the last part of our earth sciences which will also include weather in ninth grade and geology in tenth grade). I do want to find something a little more academic to include as well, but this is where we'll start.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. I purchased this audiobook during an Audible sale. Links to Amazon are affiliate links.

September 2019 Book Reports

Look at the Sky and Tell the Weather by Eric Sloane - link to my post (purchased copy)

Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare (No Fear Shakespeare) - Apparently, this is one of the Shakespeare plays most read in high school, but I'd missed it. Lots of blood and famous lines. First Son is reading this in tenth grade, but I'll assign it to the others in ninth grade (matching up with our study of ancient Rome in history). (purchased copy)

Out of Africa and Shadows on the Grass by Isak Dinesen - link to my post (copy from PaperBackSwap.com)

Hamlet by William Shakespeare (No Fear Shakespeare) - Both my tenth grader and my seventh grader will be reading this play. It's quite long so they won't read an entire act each week. We're right in the midst of memorizing lines from the play using How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare so I thought it was an appropriate choice for the year. (purchased copy)

The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt (Landmark Books) by Elizabeth Payne and The Riddle of the Rosetta Stone: Key to Ancient Egypt by James Cross Giblin - link to my post (purchased copies)

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury - This classic was different than I remembered it, a little less exciting, a little more depressing, and a little more contrived. I think I skimmed over a lot of the "boring" conversations when I read it as a teenager. Those same conversations strike me as disturbingly prescient today. Though it was easy to pick apart the inconsistencies and the instances where the plot seems unlikely, there was something, as always, lovely just in listening to Bradbury's language: lyrical and powerful. (purchased Audible book)

Stanley: The Impossible Life of Africa's Greatest Explorer by Tim Jeal - link to my post (library copy)

Lady Susan and The Watsons by Jane Austen - These two books, one Austen never published and a second she never finished, were recommended by Audible because they know I love all things Austen. I enjoyed listening to the stories, though obviously they are not her best. Lady Susan is written as a series of letters and sometimes it was more difficult in an audiobook to tell who was writing each one. (purchased on Audible)

Not So Fast: Parenting Your Teen Through the Dangers of Driving by Tim Hollister and Pam Shadel Fischer - link to my post (library copy)

The Creed in Slow Motion by Ronald Knox - link to my post (purchased copy)

After Anatevka: Live by Alexandra Silber - This is an Audible original offered as one of the free books of the month. Ms. Silber created this stage performance melding readings from her book, After Anatevka, and performances of songs from Fiddler on the Roof and new compositions written to complement her book. It was enjoyable with some delightful music. (free from Audible in October 2018)

The Rise and Fall of the British Empire (The Great Courses) by Patrick N. Allitt - link to my post (purchased audio book)

Elizabeth II: Life of a Monarch by Ruth Cowen - This was another Audible original offered as a free book of the month to members. I thought it would be interested as a supplement to my recent audiobook on the British Empire. It was kind of an interesting take on Queen Elizabeth's life, but it wasn't a complete biography. There were quite a lot of lurid details of the other royals' love lives. (free from Audible in April 2019)

In Ethiopia with a Mule by Dervla Murphy - link to my post (purchased copy)

Folsom Untold by Danny Robins - This audio book on Johnny Cash and his Folsom album is a little melodramatic, but it was interesting to hear something about the album, how it came about, and what happened later. It looks like it's no longer available on Audible, but if you're interested in all things Johnny Cash, you may want to see if you can find it elsewhere. (free from Audible in February 2019)

I have received nothing in exchange for these posts. All opinions are my own. Links to Amazon, PaperBackSwap, and RC History are affiliate links.