Justice, not just Generosity: Winners Take All

Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World

by Anand Giridharadas

Mr. Giridharadas was pleased to be named a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute. He attended events and talks surrounded by other bright and idealistic professionals. As time passed, however, he became uncomfortable with the message and methodology of the fellowship.

It bothered me that the fellowship asked fellows to do virtuous side projects instead of doing their day jobs more honorably. [...] Instead of asking them to make their firms less monopolistic, greedy, or harmful to children, it urged them to create side hustles to "change the world." (p. 266)

This book argues essentially that large corporations create enormous profits for a minority of people by taking advantage of the poor and marginalized, creating or exacerbating problems of poverty, unemployment, and violence. Then, rather than changing their business practices, they donate a small portion of their profits to organizations of their own design to address the effects of their business practices without accepting responsibility for their role in the problems. 

By refusing to risk its way of life, by rejecting the idea that the powerful might have to sacrifice for the common good, it [today's elite] clings to a set of social arrangements that allow it to monopolize progress and then give symbolic scraps to the forsaken--many of whom wouldn't need the scraps if the society were working right. (p. 7)

The elite decide what to fund, how to address change, and how to measure progress.

For when elites assume leadership of social change, they are able to reshape what social change is--above all, to present it as something that should never threaten winners. In an age defined by a chasm between those who have power and those who don't, elites have spread the idea that people must be helped, but only in market-friendly ways that do not upset fundamental power equations. (p. 8)

Even with the best of intentions, inviting companies and their owners to be involved in addressing inequity or poverty immediately limits the creativity and revolutionary aspects of change. Not many board members are willing to entertain solutions that might inhibit their ability to pass on their wealth to future generations or that might disrupt the very companies that lead to their financial success.

Moreover, the charitable world is now described in the language of business, rather than something like justice or human dignity. Politically, for example, we have fewer people rising in the ranks of government organizations but are filling leadership positions with men and women from the business world, asking them to "regulate" their former colleagues and employers.

Young people who want to change the world are easily drawn into the narrative:

What threads through these various ideas is a promise of painlessness. What is good for me will be good for you. [...] You could help people in ways that let you keep living your life as is, while shedding some of your guilt. (p. 38)

Not only are capitalists able to assuage some of the problems, the prevailing wisdom is that they are better able to do so. However, the author argues this situation merely allows the winners to continue winning and pull even farther ahead.

There are still winners and losers, the powerful and the powerless, and the claim that everyone is in it together is an eraser of the inconvenient reality of others. (p. 50)

One of the key points of the book is how the large corporations manage to impact the messaging from speakers and authors. Many who begin by criticizing the current methods of philanthropy end up adjusting their talks and books as they are invited to conventions or retreats. As their income is more and more dependent on the wealthy, their words transform from calling for radical change to ones calling for change within the current system.

Inspire the rich to do more good, but never, ever tell them to do less harm; inspire them to give back, but never, ever tell them to take less; inspire them to join the solution, but never, ever accuse them of being part of the problem. (p. 155)

Then, not only do they continue to amass wealth at the expense of the week and poor, but they turn around and tell them something like "We know how best to solve your problems."

Leave us alone in the competitive marketplace, and we will tend to you after the winnings are won. The money will be spent more wisely on you than it would be by you. You will have your chance to enjoy our wealth, in the way we think you should enjoy it. (p. 164)

Interestingly, the book describes some companies that were designed to more directly benefit clients.

A company not run purely in shareholders' interests risked lawsuits from its investors. The dominant interpretation of corporate law, as we've seen, has since the 1970s come to regard companies' first duty as being to earn a profit for shareholders. (p. 248) 

Mr. Giridharadas provides many examples showing how the current ideology (allowing capitalists to determine our goals and methods for social change) is failing. He argues we need more government discussion of corporations and their behavior to address the root problems of inequity. I believe he would like to see more government regulation, but what he argues for is actually a more explicit and amicable public discourse on the causes of inequality and the methods for addressing it. Bringing those conversations out of private elite conferences and into the public arena allows everyone to participate.

It is solving problems in ways that give the people you are helping a say in the solutions, that offer that say in equal measure to every citizen, that allow some kind of access to your deliberations or at least provide a meaningful feedback mechanism to tell you it isn't working. It is not reimagining the world at conferences. (p. 227)

This book is written for elites, most of whom are firmly in the American left, politically. Some of the arguments, therefore, are along the lines of, "This is why Trump won the election," in ways that conservatives may find distasteful.

I think it's worthwhile to ask whether the weakest members of our society are making any progress and tying our goals and assessments of progress towards those goals to measurements of the quality of life for the least powerful.

Now that I've read this book, I find myself noticing evidence of its arguments in articles and TED talks. It has helped me to be more critical of those who are promising to change the world without changing our lifestyles or our hearts.

Benedict XVI's Caritas in Veritate offers a rich contemplation of walking in love and solidarity with the poor and marginalized. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in charity or societal change, even if not Catholic. 

For Catholics, though, changing the world is a matter of bringing forth the kingdom of God. Charities and governments can participate in that transformation, but what it requires most of all is allowing the love of Christ to change our hearts and then go forth to love and cherish every human person. Those of us who are comfortable in our lives must learn to sacrifice our own luxuries for the benefit of the marginalized if we want to follow Christ. Part of that sacrifice might mean admitting the deficiencies of our society's status quo.

Generosity is not a substitute for justice... (p. 182)

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

Quotes from Dorothy Day: The Reckless Way of Love

The Reckless Way of Love: Notes on Following Jesus

by Dorothy Day, edited by Carolyn Kurtz

This year I became a patron of the Fountains of Carrots podcast, which includes a patron book club. The first book of 2021 was The Reckless Way of Love. 

Servant of God Dorothy Day was a Catholic convert and a social activist, living her faith in a dramatic way. I have read only a little about Dorothy Day and nothing by her, so this book was all new to me. It's a compilation of selected quotes from any and all of Dorothy Day's writings centered around five themes: faith, love, prayer, life, and community. It's very easy to dip in to the book at any time and in any place as the quotes are only connected by the part's theme.

As it's a book of quotes, it's very easy to find words that speak to any reader's personal circumstances. In a time of Covid recovery and uncertainty as we move back to normal, many quotes like this one resonated with me:

I should know by this time that just because I feel that everything is useless and going to pieces and badly done and futile, it is not really that way at all. Everything is all right. It is in the hands of God. Let us abandon everything to Divine Providence. (p. 48)

I also loved this one about moving forward freely.

But there is no point dwelling on the past excessively. My mother used to warn us against that; she'd say, "Doting on what's gone is wasting precious time." It's stealing time, really, from the present and from the future. If you believe in the mission of Jesus Christ, then you're bound to try to let go of your past, in the sense that you are entitled to his forgiveness. To keep regretting what was is to deny God's grace. (pp. 62-63)

I do wish the book identified the source of each quote. Many times I wished to know if it was from her diary, a published book, or an article. With today's online search capabilities, I could probably have found them each myself, but it seemed like the sort of thing an editor could have done rather easily.

I enjoyed reading a little of Dorothy Day's own words. The Fountain of Carrots book club discussion was a fun way to continue pondering the quotes.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. I requested the book from a member of PaperBackSwap (not an affiliate link). Links to Bookshop are affiliate links, but links to Fountains of Carrots are not affiliate links.

Living the Faith: The Grace of Enough

The Grace of Enough: Pursuing Less and Living More in a Throwaway Culture

by Haley Stewart

I've followed Haley Stewart's blog off and on for years. I love her story of giving up a job and house in Florida for an internship on a farm in Texas. I immediately thought it showed a family that was willing to make sacrifices in order to live the life they thought would bring their family the greatest joy. This book tells the story of that journey, but more importantly, it provides thoughtful chapters on living with faith at the foundation of the decisions we make every day: how we work, how we spend our free time, and what we buy.

Among the treasures of hobbit culture are a relationship-centered community, a strong connection to the natural world, and the prioritization of leisure and festivity over production and efficiency. These things are completely opposed to our throwaway culture and compatible with the Gospel, and they can be lived out wherever you are.

The book is divided into three parts: Returning to our Roots (a focus on togetherness, authentic freedom, environment, beauty, and home), Reconnecting with what makes us Human (slow food, hospitality, communities, internet), and Centering our Disconnected Lives at Home (NFP, generosity, and hopefulness).

How we live out our responsibilities will vary from person to person and from family to family. We must be cautious not to fall into anxiety or despair or to seek "solutions" such as population control that merely put bandages on problems at the risk of damaging human dignity. God has created the world for us. He has designed it to sustain us, and we are meant to live here and be fruitful. We need not act out of fear but out of love.

There are lots of books in today's world about minimalism, but Stewart's book focuses not just on how to declutter (though there's some of that), but why we declutter and how we can use the time and freedom we gain to improve the lives of our children and our neighbors.

When Kansas Dad chose a graduate degree in theology, we were well on our way to a life contrary to contemporary measures of financial wealth. There wasn't much in the book that our family doesn't already do, though it is always comforting and encouraging to read about others who are attempting to focus on love and faith.

Many of those caught up in throwaway culture have forgotten that food and creation are inextricably linked. Wendell Berry reminds us that eaters "must understand that eating takes place inescapably in the world, that it is inescapably an agricultural act, and that how we eat determines, to a considerable extent, how the world is used."

One aspect I did consider more deeply after reading the book was the idea of inviting people over for dinner more often. To be honest, we may just be in a phase of life where that's not possible as often as we'd like. Our oldest children are reaching middle school and high school and we do feel it's important for them to have activities outside the home. With all four of them involved, we are resigned to evenings out much of the time.

There are reflection questions for each chapter. Resources are provided at the end of the book for decluttering, natural family planning, and prayer and the liturgical year.

This is a relatively quick read that will be inspiring to those of us who want our faith to infuse our lives every day, not just at church on Sundays, and not just when we are teaching our children.

I received nothing in return for writing this blog post. All opinions are my own. I checked this book out from our local library. Amazon links above are affiliate links.

Rediscovering Home: The Long-Legged House

The Long-Legged House

by Wendell Berry

This is a book of essays written between 1965 and 1969. The first two sections are rather depressing commentaries on strip mining, the degradation of natural habitats through misuse and ignorance, war, poverty, and the startling greed of corporations that choose profit over neighbors and communities. It is unpleasant to consider how little has changed in the decades since they were published.

Berry sees most government efforts to address poverty as demeaning and counter-productive.

Unable to live by his work, the furniture maker is dependent on the government's welfare program, the benefits of which are somewhat questionable, since if he sells any of his work his welfare payments are diminished accordingly, and so he stands little or no chance of improving his situation by his own effort. 

Many of Berry's essays describe the tourists he encounters in Kentucky, those who escape from the city to the lakes and rivers. He senses and uneasiness in them. They continue to rush, filling the lakes with gears and motors on their swift boats.

What I hope--and it is not an easy hope--is that people will begin to come into the countryside with a clearer awareness of why they come, of what they need from it and of what they owe it. I assume--and it is not an easy assumption--that the world must live in men's minds if men are to continue to live in the world.

One of the chapters is the text of a speech Berry gave, a statement against the war in Vietnam. I intend to assign this essay to First Son in 8th grade as part of his Twentieth Century History course, found in Level 4 of Mater Amabilis™.

Does the hope of peace lie in waiting for peace, or in being peaceable? If I see what is right, should I wait for the world to see it, or should I make myself right immediately, and thus be an example to the world?

I don't necessarily agree with everything he says in the speech, but I hope it will lead First Son to consider multiple sides of the issue of war.

To a country where we have so much and suffer relatively little, Berry offers "Some Thoughts on Citizenship and Conscience:"

Because so many are hungry, should we weep as we eat? No child will grow fat on our tears. But to eat, taking whatever satisfaction it gives us, and then to turn again to the problem of how to make it possible for another to eat, to undertake to cleanse ourselves of the great wastefulness of our society, to seek alternatives in our own lives to our people's thoughtless squandering of the world's goods--that promises a solution. That many are cold and the world is full of hate does not mean that one should stand in the snow for shame or refrain from making love. To refuse to admit decent and harmless pleasures freely into one's own life is as wrong as to deny them to someone else. It impoverishes and darkens the world.

The third section focused more on autobiographical essays describing the relationship of Berry with his native land. These were much more hopeful and pleasant, a demonstration of what life can be if we allow ourselves to be rooted to a place. After their wedding, he and his wife lived at his camp in the woods without electricity or running water for the summer.

Marriage is a perilous and fearful effort, it seems to me. There can't be enough knowledge at the beginning. It must endure the blundering of ignorance. It is both the cause and the effect of what happens to it. It creates pain that it is the only cure for. It is the only comfort for its hardships.

The last essay, "Native Hill," Mr. Berry shares his response to the reactions of his literary circle when he decided to leave New York City to live and teach in Kentucky. In a word, they were horrified, convinced his writing would suffer and that he would be miserable. Though certain of his decision, he still held himself uneasily for a while, questioning regularly whether his writing suffered.

I have come finally to see a very regrettable irony in what happened. At a time when originality is more emphasized in the arts, maybe, than ever before, I undertook something truly original--I returned to my origins--and it was generally thought by my literary friends that I had worked my ruin. As far as I can tell, this was simply because my originality, my faith in my own origins, had not been anticipated or allowed for by the fashion of originality.

Instead of being thwarted, Berry rediscovered his home, gaining more depth in his knowledge of a country he already knew intimately.

We must change our lives, so that it will be possible to live by the contrary assumption that what is good for the world will be good for us. And that requires that we make the effort to know the world and to learn what is good for it.

Berry often expresses a distrust of religion. He argues that faith in a Creator and the goodness of Creation should have cultivated a people who protected the world, the environment. Instead, their focus on an eternal future caused them to treat the created world as a means to an end.

It has encouraged people to believe that the world is of no importance, and that their only obligation in it is to submit to certain churchly formulas in order to get to heaven. And so the people who might have been expected to care most selflessly for the world have had their minds turned elsewhere--to a pursuit of "salvation" that was really only another form of gluttony and self-love, the desire to perpetuate their own small lives beyond the life of the world. The heaven-bent have abused the earth thoughtlessly, by inattention, and their negligence has permitted and encouraged others to abuse it deliberately.

The kind of attitude he describes is the one that causes consternation amongst the faithful when presented with words of stewardship from Pope Francis in Laudato Si' - On the Care of our Common Home.
 
On suddenly coming upon a glade of bluebells:

For me, in the thought of them will always be the sense of the joyful surprise with which I found them--the sense that came suddenly to me then that the world is blessed beyond my understanding, more abundantly that I will ever know....If I were given all the learning and all the methods of my race I could not make one of them, or even imagine one.

Living Sacrifice in the Modern World: Everything Must Change

Everything Must Change: When the World's Biggest Problems and Jesus' Good News Collide by Brian D. McLaren

In this book, McLaren examines life at the time of the Gospels, when Jews were living within the Roman Empire, either assimilating into it or violently fighting against it. According to him, a close reading of Jesus' words when he speaks of authority and government within the context of the Roman Empire should startle us in the similarities between the Romans and the modern world - in our pursuit of wealth, our use of violence to maintain that wealth (or its illusion), and our cavalier destruction of the world's resources. Our "framing story" (which is a kind of unwritten or subliminal worldview that permeates everything we do) creates a situation in which we are unable to fully live out the Gospel, and, in fact, leads to a cycle of self-destruction he calls a "suicide machine."

But if our framing story tells us that we are free and responsible creatures in a creation made by a good, wise, and loving God, and that our Creator wants us to pursue virtue, collaboration, peace, and mutual care for one another and all living creatures, and that our lives can have profound meaning if we align ourselves with God's wisdom, character, and dreams for us...then our society will take a radically different direction, and our world will become a very different place.

I struggled a lot with the language McLaren uses. I think "framing story" is an unwieldy phrase, but besides that, the text of the book is simply not lyrical. Kansas Dad argues I can't expect everyone to be a Chesterton or even a C.S. Lewis, but I maintain the message would be more powerful if more eloquently presented. One of the aspects of this book Kansas Dad appreciates is the stark presentation of statistics (comparing America's defense budget with that of those attempting to eliminate poverty, comparing the amount of money the first world "donates" to developing countries with the amount of money collected in debt payments from those same countries). Perhaps those kinds of statistics (which were indeed disturbing) would be difficult to include in a more poetic book.

McLaren spends the majority of the book building an argument for his depiction of the modern world and that Jesus' words call us to something different. For me, the real question is what happens after that -- if we truly believe Jesus' words, his call to a his kingdom, how should we behave right here, right now, to help make that kingdom manifest on earth. He touches on what we can or should do in relatively few chapters at the end of the book.

McLaren calls on us to be aware of the way companies treat employees, the environment, and communities. He calls on us to explore how various economic policies affect the lives of people all over the world, not just our own. Policies on immigration, economics, and the environment should not be viewed from merely the American point of view, not if we are truly living as Christians. Jesus demands we consider all people our neighbors and brothers.

With no apologies to Martin Luther, John Calvin, or modern evangelicalism, Jesus (in Luke 16:19) does not prescribe hell to those who refuse to accept the message of justification by grace through faith, or to those who are predestined for perdition, or to those who don't express faith in a favored atonement theory by accepting Jesus as their "personal Savior." Rather, hell--literal or figurative--is for the rich and comfortable who proceed on heir way without concern for their poor neighbor day after day.

As I read this book, I began to see similar messages in many places. Pope Frances, in his address to Congress in September 2015 (full text found here, and well worth a read if you haven't already), said:

We must resolve now to live as nobly and as justly as possible, as we educate new generations not to turn their back on our “neighbors” and everything around us. Building a nation calls us to recognize that we must constantly relate to others, rejecting a mindset of hostility in order to adopt one of reciprocal subsidiarity, in a constant effort to do our best. I am confident that we can do this.

Larry Livingston, on the blog for Unbound, an organization we support regularly, wrote:

Part of that interior process is taking ownership of the consequences our choices have on others. Some of these are obvious and immediate to our daily lives. We generally know when we hurt those around us and, while not easy, we also know what we need to do to repair those relationships. But what is more complicated — and more challenging — is taking ownership of the impact our choices have on the world.

At one point, McLaren discusses Jackson Browne's song, "The Rebel Jesus."

He suggests that there is a kind of economic orthodoxy that may allow or even encourage us to throw some dollars toward the poor, but this orthodoxy commands us never to question the systems that create and reinforce poverty. 

Catholics are not immune from this kind of thinking but we are blessed by examples of saints who have refused to participate in the systems that sustain rather than alleviate poverty: St. Vincent de Paul, Blessed Mother Teresa, Blessed Oscar Romero, the list could go on and on. Pope Francis is following those examples with works like Laudato Si', which encourages us to consider the effect of our actions, our purchases, our lifestyle, on the less fortunate here and elsewhere. (I mentioned the book here when I read it.)

So if you are convinced, what do you need to do? McLaren outlines three main areas of action: 1) Be generous to the poor but not dehumanizing; 2) Encourage opportunities and solutions created in collaboration with the poor; and 3) Campaign to change the economic, military, and social systems that inhibit justice for the poor and downtrodden.

While most of us won't be called to sacrifice our physical lives (but many may), having faith in Jesus and sharing the faith of Jesus will lead all of us to make what an early disciple called "a living sacrifice." We will give up the life we could have lived, the life we would have lived--pursuing pleasure, leisure, security, whatever. And instead, we will life a life dedicated to replacing the suicide machine with a sacred ecosystem, a beautiful community, an insurgency of healing and peace, a creative global family, an unterror movement of faith, hope, and love.

McLaren talks a bit about the hidden messages of our media and our schools that support the current (and flawed) framing story. In one thought experiment, he compared the creation of greenhouse gasses by large corporations with the production of an unwanted pregnancy:

[B]oth follow a script taught by the covert curriculum in a thousand ways: namely, we can engage in pleasurable or profitable behaviors with undesired consequences and either avoid the consequences or clean them up later. (his emphasis)

While I think the analagy is imperfect, it does exemplify the focus of modern American society on immediate gratification.

McLaren is not Catholic and not all of his policies would be acceptable. The use of artificial birth control, as one example, is explicitly mentioned as not only an option but one that is ridiculously not implemented. A few differences of opinion in methods, however, do not negate his overall argument. I believe he's correct: Jesus would speak out plainly against modern American society and our economic policies.

For the most part, I want to recommend this book, and I think you should probably read it if you are intrigued but unconvinced by my meager narration here. Remember, though, that I warned you about the language. Be prepared for paragraphs like this one:

Perhaps we can see ourselves in a new light too, not armed with an ideology but infused with a new imagination, part of a peaceful insurgency seeking to expel a suicidal occupying regime, gardeners working with God to tend the holy ecosystem so it continues to unfold anew day after new day, members of a secret insurgency of hope, a global movement unleashing coordinated, well-planned acts of unterror and healing, producers in a new economy of love--an economy so radical that old terms like capitalism and communism seem like two sides of a Confederate coin left over from a fading and discredited regime.

Jesus' "economy of love" sounds a bit too corny to me, though I'd like to think I would support the economic policies Jesus would propose - the kind he has indeed already proposed if we have the courage to acknowledge them.

An Invitation to Relationship

Apparently, it's Giving Tuesday. We don't participate much in Black Friday (if I can only afford it by going out at 3 in the morning and battling hundreds of other people for deals, I'd rather live without it) or Cyber Monday (who needs a special day to shop online?), I thought I'd take a minute on Giving Tuesday to remind you about my favorite charity.

Unbound provides a connection to another person, a child or an elder. It's an invitation to participate in another person's life and to develop a relationship with someone who has much to teach about another culture, hope, faith, and life.

It's not a small gift once a year or even a large gift once a year (though you can do that, too). It's a commitment to improving the life of a person and a community. Don't make Giving Tuesday a once-a-year afterthought to the Christmas shopping frenzy. Take a few minutes today or in the next few days to prayerfully consider your budget for 2015 and whether there might be $30 a month to change a life.

Reading 2013: A Year in Review

Well, I have finally finished posting about all the books I read in December in all the extra time I had because I wasn't posting on the blog, so it's time for the annual favorite books post. Because I liked Brandy's post, I decided to do something similar here.

The book covers below are affiliate links to Amazon. I've linked the book titles to my book reviews here on the blog or to the monthly book report for the month in which I read the book.


Favorite Book of 2013

A Right to Be Merry by Mother Mary Francis 

After reading this book, I realized anew how blessed I am to be Catholic and how blessed we all are by the cloistered communities around the world who pray for us.

Best Fiction and Best New-to-Me Author

Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry

If I weren't so tied to my books-to-read-list, I would plan to read at least one book by Berry every month until I'd read them all. And then maybe I'd start over again. I liked this one so much, I asked for it for Christmas so I could own my very own copy.

Best Non-Fiction

When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert

Best Classic Book I'd Never Read Before

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

After I read this, we listened to an audio CD of it from the library. Everyone liked it and now we have the continued pleasure of a three year old singing, "Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!"

Best Book I Pre-Read for School

Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome 

Book that Made Me Cry

Yeah...I can't really pick one here. Just about every book I read makes me cry at some point. Eventually the children are going to get used to this. Or give up on me and read the books aloud themselves.

Book that Made Me Laugh

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom and its sequel, The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle, by Christopher Healy

I've recommended these books to everyone I know with a middle grade reader. I'm just as excited as First Son to read the final book in the trilogy when it comes out in April.

Best Homeschooling or Education Book (also Most Challenging)

Poetic Knowledge by James S. Taylor

Best Book I Read Aloud

Canadian Summer by Hilda van Stockum

The whole Mithcells series was wonderful. This was one of the more difficult categories because there are so many wonderful books to read aloud. Adam of the Road was another fantastic book, perfect to share with just about any child.

Best Kansas Book

Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

Best Book on Faith

Story of a Soul translated from the original manuscripts by John Clarke, O.C.D.

(other than A Right to Be Merry, of course)

My Other Favorite Books
They may have been beaten out by one of the books above, but they still deserve a mention as one of my favorite books read in 2013.  In alphabetical order by title, for lack of a better system:

The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
Call It Courage by Armstrong Perry
The Children's Homer by Padraic Colum
The End of the Affair by Graham Greene
Half Upon a Time by James Riley
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
The Saturdays (Melendy Quartet) by Elizabeth Enright
Something Beautiful for God by Malcom Muggeridge
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
The Woman Who Died a Lot by Jasper Fforde

I was also really pleased to read Macbeth and The Tempest this year. Reading the plays myself is the best part of studying Shakespeare with the children.

My Favorite Picture Books: Building Our House

Building Our House by Jonathan Bean

I posted before on another book by Jonathan Bean, At Night, which is still probably my favorite of his books, but this one is a close second and worthy of a Favorite Picture Books post.

In this book, Mr. Bean illustrates for us the building of a home based on the building of his own childhood home. (He provides a few pictures in the back of the real house which delighted Second Daughter, who then knew it was a "real story.")

Kansas Dad would probably love to build a house himself (if he could manage to get a sabbatical from the university). I have doubts about my own sanity during such a process, but I love the idea of it, so I love reading this book with the children and imagining the process. A building site is an eternal source of interest for children. Watching them (in the book) all work together to create a safe and warm retreat for the family is wonderful. It's also charming the way the family grows at the same time the house is growing.

Book Review: Something Beautiful for God

Something Beautiful for God by Malcom Muggeridge

This book was originally published in 1971 and, apparently, was one of the very first books documenting Mother Teresa's work in Calcutta. It was republished in 2003 when she was beatified and I picked it up at a store-closing sale. (I hate when bookstores close, but I do like to buy their books when they do.) It's a short book and fairly easy to read, though there is much to ponder so it's worth spending some time on it.

The author quotes Mother Teresa "On Silence:"

We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature -- trees, flowers, grass -- grow in silence; see the stars, the moon and sun, how they move in silence. Is not our mission to give God to the poor in the slums? Not a dead God, but a living, loving God. The more we receive in silent prayer, the more we can give in our active life. We need silence to be able to touch souls. The essential thing is not what we say, but what God says to us and through us. All our words will be useless unless they come from within -- words which do not give the light of Christ increase the darkness.

This is a succinct explanation on why we need to pray and that the result of prayer is the ability to better do God's work on earth.

In an interview with the author, she says:

I do not agree with the big way of doing things. To us what matters is an individual. To get to love the person we much come in contact with him. If we wait till we get the numbers, then we will be lost in the numbers. And we will never be able to show that love and respect for the person. I believe in person to person; every person is Christ for me, and since there is only one Jesus, that person is only one person in the world for me at that moment.

In a world where everything must be supported by data, it's refreshing and important to remember that people are not numbers. Each person is loved into existence by God and must be greeted and loved and respected.

Blessed Teresa is not universally respected (though she perhaps is the closest person we have to such a thing in modern times), but there is no doubt that reading about her life is inspiring.

The Catholic Company Book Review: Seeds of Faith for Children

Seeds of Faith for Children

by Rosemarie Gortler and Donna Piscitelli

illustrated by Mimi Sternhagen

Over and over again, I am pleased with the little books for children written by Rosemarie Gortler and Donna Piscitelli. I own all but one, I think (Living the 10 Commandments for Children) and even reviewed Little Acts of Grace 2 for The Catholic Company a few years ago.

I have used all of these books as our catechism books for my preschoolers and kindergarteners, but I think Seeds of Faith for Children will quickly become one of my favorite first books to use in our homeschool (along with Little Acts of Grace and The Mass Book for Children).

In this book, children learn how the gifts of God through the Church help our faith to grow just like a seed well tended grows into a beautiful plant. These precious gifts are prayers, the Creed, the Ten Commandments, the sacraments, sacramentals, and even the opportunities to do acts of charity. The explanations are perfect for little ones like preschoolers and kindergarteners, encouraging them to make connections with the prayers they hear at Mass and the statues or other sacramentals they may see at home.

Throughout, there are quotes from Scripture (the RSV translation, not modified) and from the Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church. The end of the book includes prayers, a list of the sacraments, and the Ten Commandments. (The Commandments are also listed within the text, but in language more accessible for young children. I thought it was very well done.)

The illustrations by Mimi Sternhagen include the little mouse my children have learned to find on each page. I appreciated that, though the mouse is shown going to confession, he does not take Communion. I love how Jesus himself appears in the confessional and with the priest in the illustration of First Communion (which has such a beautiful young girl!). I can tell there has been a real effort to make the illustrations an additional source of information on the faith for children.

Another wonderful book from Rosemarie Gortler and Donna Piscitelli.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an objective review.

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Seeds of Faith for Children. The Catholic Company is the best resource for all your seasonal needs such as First Communion gifts as well as ideas and gifts for the special papal Year of Faith.

February 2013 Book Reports

When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert (library copy)

My First Book of Saints by Kathleen M. Muldoon and Susan Helen Wallace, FSP (a review for The Catholic Company)

Walk the Worlds Rim by Betty Baker is the tale of Chakoh, a Native American who travels with three Spaniards and a black slave shortly after the discovery of the New World by Europeans. I found it thought-provoking and reasonably well-written, but it is a novel for someone ready to face some of the abuses, misunderstandings, and wrongs of the Church. There are a lot of things the novel brings up like how missionaries converted the Native Americans and in the ways they failed to convey the true meaning of our faith. Finally, I think there could be a lot of good discussions about slavery and freedom. I don't think I'll read this one aloud, but I do think there could be some good discussions with a middle school or high school student who was reading it independently. (library copy)

Daisy Dawson Is on Her Way! by Steve Voake is one I picked up somewhere and am so glad I did. It's a sweet little chapter book about Daisy, who is learning too much on her way to school to be there on time. She pauses to rescue a butterfly from a spider and is rewarded with a marvelous gift. There's just enough adventure to be exciting for little ones. I intend to ask First Daughter to read this aloud to me next year in first grade. There are five Daisy books so far and, if they are like the first one, this would be a great series for very young readers ready for chapter books. The illustrations are well done, too. (purchased copy)

The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman tells the adventures of a spoiled prince who runs away, dragging his whipping boy along with him, in search of freedom and, perhaps, a friend. It's a bit like a tall tale and would probably appeal to boys who are young readers. I intend to ask First Son if he'd like to read it, but I wouldn't assign it. (It's also below his reading level at this point.) I can't imagine why it won the Newbery medal as I'd say it's merely acceptable. Fleischman's By the Great Horn Spoon! is far superior. (library copy)

Mieko and the Fifth Treasure by Eleanor Coerr tells of Mieko, a ten-year-old talented Japanese calligrapher whose arm is badly injued by the Nagasaki bomb. I will share it with my third grade son this year if I decide to cover the atomic bombings. It gently touches on how the bombs changed a child's life without being too scary. It is also a sweet story of courage, friendship, perseverance, and personal growth. Ms. Coerr was born in Canada, but visited Japan as a young woman and lived there for a number of years. (purchased copy)

Simple Living - 30 days to less stuff and more life by Lorilee Lippincott is a short Kindle book with exercises for each of 30 days ranging from clearing off your counters (of everything for at least a week) to unsubscribing from email lists if you don't read them regularly. There's even a little section on facebook. I didn't find anything here I hadn't heard before, but I think it's nice to have little reminders of things I can do to ease the clutter in our lives. I was inspired to move a few things around and pass a few things on to others who can use them. (read for free from the Kindle Owners' Lending Library)

Quo Vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz (library copy)

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen is the story of a middle-school student, new and bullied, who is intrigued by the mystery of a running boy. In the end, he makes some friends, stands up to the bullies, and learns a little about caring for his home (wherever that is). I enjoyed it, but it's certainly a book I would reserve for older children. There are instances of physical abuse and neglect in addition to the struggles with bullies, a topic incredibly difficult to address. (copy received for free in a book promotion)

The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery (purchased copy)


Books in Progress (and date started)

• The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey (October 2012) 
• Destination: Bethlehem (December 2012)
• The Cloister Walk (January 2013)
• Ice Age (February 2013)
• Love in the Little Things: Tales of Family Life (February 2013)
• "B" Is for Betsy (February 2013)
• The Behavior Gap: Simple Ways to Stop Doing Dumb Things with Money (February 2013)
• Blood Will Tell: A Medical Explanation for the Tyranny of Henry VIII (February 2013)

Lent on the Range: 2013

Lent starts early this year - Ash Wednesday is February 13th. That's next Wednesday, just in case you hadn't thought about it yet.

Here's a link to my post about last year's plans.

We're going to follow nearly the same plan, with a few modifications because this year, instead of working four hours a week, I'll be working twelve to fifteen hours a week. Sadly, I cannot give up my job for Lent, and I've already pared down our lessons to accommodate the increased hours, so some of of Lenten activities must be modified a little.

I updated our calendar with new dates for this year. I also moved a few fasting ideas around and removed alms from Saturdays. We only did them during the school week. Last year we kept forgetting even then, but now First Son and First Daughter are old enough to handle the alms counting nearly independently, so I decided to leave it as it is and see how it goes.

Kansas Dad requested we add a decade of the Rosary once a week. We've never successfully said the Rosary (or a decade of it) on a regular basis, so it's a bit of a reach goal, but it's a good goal.

   2013 Lent Calendar to Share by Kansas Mom 

Last year we rolled a die to choose a prayer for our prayer for intentions. This year, Kansas Dad has suggested we actually do night prayer with the children during Lent. We'll offer our Marian prayer each night for the intention in the calendar.

For our prayer garden, I'm going to set out the box of flowers and encourage the children to say a prayer at our prayer shelf whenever the Holy Spirit calls them, and then place their own flower on the garden. Hopefully by Easter, we'll have a beautiful garden!

Last year on Fridays, I said the Stations of the Cross with the children, but I'm not sure I'll have time for that this year because I work on Fridays. (At least once, we will attend Stations of the Cross at our parish.) I'm going to ask First Son to say them with First Daughter without me if we run out of time and we'll see how it goes. (Do you sense a pattern here? We're having a "we'll see how it goes" kind of Lent this year.)

The alms jars are going to continue just as we did them last year. The children will earn beans for sacrifices and then swap them for pennies for the alms jar.

We'll be reading nearly all the same books this year, but I'm going to substitute More Catholic Tales for Boys and Girls for Catholic Tales for Boys and Girls. In the Easter season, we're going to read The Young Life of Sister Faustina.

The only really new thing we're going to do this year is the Lent Faith Folder from Emmanuel Books. Sometime between now and Wednesday, I need to purchase it, download it, and then figure out how we're going to work through it together this Lent. First Son did their First Communion folder with his Sunday School class last year and it was fantastic, so I am excited for the Lent one.

I've promised the children ice cream sundaes for dinner for Mardi Gras.

I think that sums up our Lenten plans. Hopefully it is a blessed time for us and for your family as well.

Book Review: When Helping Hurts

When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself 

by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert

For those that don't want to read this long post, the short version is: Highly recommended.

This book has been recommended a number of times by a man I know and admire greatly for his integrity, his great love for the Lord, and for his unfailing ability to recognize the good (Christ) in anyone. He is on the board for the Lwala Community Alliance.

This book is written directly to evangelical Christians within a church who are seeking a way to fulfill God's call to feed the poor. Because of the specific audience, there were many times when I wondered if a Catholic perspective might be a little different. Within the history of the Catholic Church, there are a great many saints who have served the poor in personal ways, including those like St. Francis (and the Franciscans as an order) who willingly and lovingly embrace material poverty partially at least to address their existing spiritual poverty. Not that I think Catholic North Americans don't make the same mistakes and erroneous assumptions that are outlined in the book, just that the history and culture of the Catholic Church might be used as additional sources of strength in understanding them. (Kansas Dad assures me there are lots of books and thoughts within Catholic social teaching that would address these issues, but I haven't had a chance to read any of them yet.)

We must also understand that the goal is not merely to redistribute resources (food, clothing, money) to those that are materially poor.

The goal is not to make the materially poor all over the world into middle-to-upper-class North Americans, a group characterized  by high rates of divorce, sexual addiction, substance abuse, and mental illness. Nor is the goal to make sure that the materially poor have enough money...Rather, the goal is to restore people to a full expression of humanness, to being what God created us all to be, people who glorify God by living in right relationship with God, with self, with others, and with the rest of creation.

Early in the book, the authors say we must begin with an understanding that we are often as poor spiritually as the material poor are poor materially.

Because every one of us is suffering from brokenness in our foundational relationships, all of us need "poverty alleviation," just in different ways. Our relationship to the materially poor should be one in which we recognize that both of us are broken and that both of us need the blessing of reconciliation. Our perspective should be less about how we are going to fix the materially poor and more about how we can walk together, asking God to fix both of us.

The authors continue:

The goal is to see people restored to being what God created them to be: people who understand that they are created in the image of God with the gifts, abilities, and capacity to make decisions and to effect change in the world around them; and people who steward their lives, communities, resources, and relationships in order to bring glory to God. These things tend to happen in highly relational, process-focused ministries more than in impersonal, product-focused ministries.

The book returns to this goal over and over again. It seems a valuable idea to review this goal before we provide any service or money. The authors remind us that North Americans are product-oriented. We want to see results; we want to see a project started and crossed off the list. Our rush to an end often blinds us to the true end: restoring people to what God created them to be.

The authors discuss systems, mainly in the context of enduring poverty in America's inner cities.

Worldviews affect the systems, and the systems affect the worldviews. (author's italics)

I don't want to start a big debate, but I think it's right to consider that political support for policies that will really help the poor and disenfranchised are important. I struggle with this thought myself and how far I should take it. Sometimes I wonder if insisting on the lowest price possible for an item is just as damaging to the materially poor of this country and around the world as any political policy or law. (Thinking along these lines quickly becomes overwhelming, ranging from the treatment of part-time employees to child labor in the chocolate industry to unsafe conditions for garment workers. I usually end up thinking we shouldn't buy anything at all, but that seems too extreme to really be the right answer.)

A big part of the book discusses the range of work we can do with the materially poor.

A helpful first step in thinking about working with the poor in any context is to discern whether the situation calls for relief, rehabilitation, or development.

Relief is the help we provide in a short term situation or immediate crisis (after an earthquake or when coming upon an injured person); it's things like money, clothing, shelter, and food. Rehabilitation "seeks to restore people and their communities to the positive elements of their precrisis conditions.

"Development" is a process of ongoing change that moves all the people involved--both the "helpers" and the "helped"--closer to being in right relationship with God, self, others, and the rest of creation.

There is a need for relief, even for those who will need it long-term ("the severely disabled; some of the elderly; very young, orphaned children; the mentally ill homeless population"), but right away it's interesting to note that relief is very rarely necessary. Personally and as a church, then, the majority of our resources (time, talent, and treasure) should be devoted to long-term endeavors and working to develop relationships, policies, and institutions that address rehabilitation and development rather than relief.

Then, there are some wonderful chapters that talk about the kind of resources we should devote to rehabilitation and development and the methods by which we should do so. Their arguments are thought-provoking and, I thought, convincing. Among other things, they believe we should not do anything the materially poor can do for themselves; we should require (and encourage) the community to participate in the entire process from design through implementation; and we should carefully consider the culture and traditions of the community. There's much more and I encourage you to read the book.

Remember, the goal is not to produce houses or other material goods but to pursue a process of walking with the materially poor so that they are better stewards of their lives and communities, including their own material needs.

 It's easier to provide relief (food, clothing, money) than development. Many believe handouts are the answer, because they're only looking at the material needs. Also, it's much easier to just give money or things than to build relationships. Finally, (p. 120)

it is easier to get donor money for relief than for development. "We fed a thousand people today" sounds better to donors than "We hung out and developed relationships with a dozen people today."

I spent a lot of time thinking about how our family allocates our charitable donations in response to this book. This particular quote struck me because, we are donors. This book is a challenge, then, for us to be the kind of donors that support the kind of work and organizations that build communities and really give people a path out of poverty.

From what I can tell, CFCA is doing exactly the kind of long-term development work outlined in this book. They strive to build a relationship between sponsors and sponsored families. Families work together to improve their communities, not just with funds from CFCA, but with assets within their own villages. The more I read this book, the more convinced I became that we should be giving more support to CFCA, that the work they are doing around the world is truly good stewardship of time, talent, and treasure that is participating in the work we all should be doing to bring God's kingdom to fruition on earth. Learn more about the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging.

There is also a fascinating chapter on short term missions and how valuable (or not) they are to the missionaries, how harmful they may be to the community, and how to make them as valuable as possible on both sides.

For those that do not have access to the book, you can learn more online at the book's online website, Helping without Hurting, and at The Chalmers Center for Economic Development at Covenant College.

Quote: When Helping Hurts

From chapter 5 of When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself:

Yes, we got an inventory of people's assets that day, an inventory that we later used to help the residents dream about how to solve some of their problems. But more importantly, we started a process of empowerment by asking a simple question: what gifts do you have? When one is feeling marginalized, such a question can be nothing short of revolutionary.

Quote: When Helping Hurts

From the Introduction of When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself:

North American Christians are simply not doing enough. We are the richest people ever to walk the face of the earth. Period. Yet, most of us live as though there is nothing terribly wrong in the world. We attend our kids' soccer games, pursue our careers, and take beach vacations while 40 percent of the world's inhabitants struggle just to eat every day. And in our own backyards, the homeless, those residing in ghettos, and a wave of immigrants live in a world outside the economic and social mainstream of North America. We do not necessarily need to feel guilty about our wealth. But we do need to get up every morning with a deep sense that something is terribly wrong with the world and yearn and strive to do something about it. There is simply not enough yearning and striving going on.

My Favorite Picture Books: The Errant Knight

The Errant Knight by Ann Tompert, illustrations by Doug Keith

This book is recommended in my copy of Connecting with History in volume three at the beginner level, though I can't seem to find it on the RC History website.

A knight sets out to serve his King, but is continually pulled away from a direct journey by those in need. At the end of his life, he finally arrives at the castle, dressed in rags because he has given away all that he had. This is one of those magnificent picture books that seems to effortlessly combine an entertaining story with a great Truth. In the pages of this book, we can see how we may truly serve our Lord and King by serving those we encounter any day, anywhere.

In the author's biography, we learn that Ms. Tompert wrote this book "as a tribute to her father, a selfless, hard-working man whose personal dreams were often postponed as he raised his three daughters alone." She has done so perfectly.

The illustrations add wonderfully to the story. Though the story takes place over many years, it begins in the springtime, shows the knight traveling through the summer and fall and arriving at the castle in the storms of winter. And I very much love the illustration of the knight racing through the fall leaves, trying vainly to forget the monk struggling to rebuild his church before turning back.

My children were just as enthralled with this book as I was.

Book Review: Raising Financially Fit Kids

Raising Financially Fit Kids by Joline Godfrey

This informative and helpful book provides nearly all you would need as a curriculum of Personal Finance for your children and could be extremely useful. The author gives ten basic money skills (like "how to save" and "how to handle credit"). A child's "financial internship" is then divided into stages: ages 5-8, 9-12, 13-15 and 16-18. For each stage, the author provides specific ideas, books, movies and progressively more difficult tasks focused on each of the skills. She encourages parents to pick and choose activities appropriate to the family and the child, but to provide an opportunity for each child to become proficient in each money skill.

The book clearly states that money is a tool, not an end in itself. It is good only insofar as we use it to provide for our needs, some of our wants and to contribute to alleviating the sufferings or needs of others. I thought the author's attitude was sensible and generous.

Ms. Godfrey's book can help a family determine their own financial goals and then devise a plan to teach their children the skills to meet those goals, to make the family's financial plans transparent as children grow. I love the number of ideas. I love the number of books and movies sited to provide not only information, but opportunities for discussions. I think homeschooling families can take the ideas in this book and create a complete financial education plan, including activities that could be incorporated into a coop.

The ideas in the book are nearly always appropriate for families of little means as well as those of great wealth (though one chapter is entirely focused on children in wealthy families). One of her ideas is to gather a team of adults to help teach your children. I can see how this could be useful for us as there is not a single entrepreneurial bone in my body. I have no desire to start a business or encourage my children to do so, but I do recognize the value in knowing such things.

We've already made a change in our money management training. First Son received a small increase in his allowance. He now received $4 each week: $2 to spend (which he saves very well for large purchases), $1 to save, $0.50 to tithe at church and $0.50 for another charity. He's now responsible for putting his church tithe in an envelope and carrying it to church (or giving it to Kansas Dad, which is what I do with our tithe and First Daughter's tithe). Because it's now going from my hands to his hands to the envelope, it should be more clear to him that he's giving his own money at Mass each week. When he has about $20 saved in his charity jar, we'll help him research some charities and choose one for a donation. We're not sure what's going to happen with the save jar. Perhaps we'll open a savings account for him, or let him put it in the one his Papa opened for him, or perhaps we'll let him invest that money in some life stock of his own. The other big change is that all money he receives (for gifts, for extra chores around the house or at a grandparent's house) will be divided up between the jars. (Previously, any non-allowance money went right to spending.)

I'm also going to include financial literacy as one of our subjects each year. We'll probably do only a little, perhaps one or two lessons each term, but it will be in our plans and that will make it a priority.

My only complaint about this book is the design. I don't love the cover, though the pictures of children and young adults inside seem well done. Most difficult are the pages. The pages are thick, so they'll hold up well, but very reflective. I often found it difficult to read the words.

I can't say whether this is the best book to guide parents through teaching financial literacy to children, because I have only read a couple, but I believe it must be one of the best. It's certainly worth a bit of your time. It would be appropriate for parents, grandparents and any other adults who have children in their lives.

December 2011 Book Report

December's list is a bit longer than the others recently. I finally finished a few big books I'd been reading for months!

An Unreasonable Woman by Diane Wilson (free Kindle version, offered as a Limited-Time Offer)

Sinner: The Catholic Guy's Funny, Feeble Attempts to be a Faithful Catholic by Lino Rulli (a review for The Catholic Company)

Mary on Horseback: Three Mountain Stories by Rosemary Wells tells the story of Mary Breckinridge and her Frontier Nursing Service in 1920s Appalachia. Each story has its sorrows, but is overflowing with hope and courage. I very much hope First Son is ready to read this himself next year and enjoy it when we reach the 1920s in our American history course. (library copy)

Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens by J. M. Barrie started out very slowly. As Peter Pan was introduced, it got a little better, but there's not much of a plot in this book. It's really more of an introduction to Peter. I have to admit, I wasn't all that impressed, but that may have much to do with my heart breaking at the thought of a boy leaving his mother and then being locked out when he tried to return. (available for free on the Kindle)

The Storm by Cynthia Rylant was a preview. I'm on the lookout for early reader books for First Daughter. This book is the first in a series (The Lighthouse Family) and I think it will be a fine one. Kansas Dad peeked a bit over my shoulder and was wryly commenting on how ridiculous it is, but five year old girls relish the ridiculous. (library copy)

The Book of Dragons by E. Nesbit is a collection of short stories involving English children and dragons. The dragons are generally bad (for those concerned about such things), though there is one that becomes tame and turns into a cat. I found the stories reasonably enjoyable and would be willing for my children to read them on their own, but I decided against reading them aloud. (available for free on the Kindle without illustrations)

The House of Sixty Fathers by Meindert DeJong tells of Tien Pao's journey and search for his parents when he is separated from them shortly after they flee their village and the attacking Japanese early in the Second Sino-Japanese war (I think) in the 1930s. At first I was horrified reading this book. As a mother, the thought of my young son experiencing war then being separated from us and (as far as we knew) worse...well, my heart was breaking. As I continued to read, however, I was amazed at the boy's courage and the descriptions of China and Chinese countrymen. The book includes descriptions of events that terrorize the young boy like planes strafing his village, men and horses being killed, blood turning the river red...This is not a book for young children, but it is a book for children. Next year, First Son will be in third grade. I'm considering reading this book aloud to him, either as part of our American studies (during which we'll study that time period and the book does include American soldiers in China) or for our geography study of China. I think, though, it will only work for us if I can read it when First Daughter is not listening. She has a sensitive heart and I would worry about her listening. (She'd be six early next school year. First Son at six might have been fine with this book, but I doubt First Daughter would be.)  (library copy)

Next Spring an Oriole by Gloria Whelan is the story of Libby and her family as they settle into their new home on the Michigan frontier. It's an easy chapter book and I intend for First Son to read it during our American history studies. It's the first of a series that looks promising. The author also appears to have many other historical fiction books that might fit with our studies. (library copy)

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp (received as a gift from a dear friend)

A Doctor Like Papa by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock is an easy chapter book that touches on a variety of wonderful concepts - a girl who wants to be a doctor in 1918, WWI, the influenza epidemic, and the effects of all of these on families in Vermont. It's a story of fear, courage, and how people keep living when life is hard. First Son will be reading this as part of our American history next year. (library copy)

The Paint Brush Kid by Clyde Robert Bulla was better than the first book (The Chalk Box Kid). Gregory and his friends decide to paint the house of a neighbor with the stories of his life. When the house is scheduled for demolition to make room for a freeway, Gregory finds the courage to speak out to try to save the house. The ending is surprising, but sweet. First Son's reading level is above this book and I don't think I'll ask First Daughter to read it during her reading lessons, but it would be acceptable for silent reading. (library copy)

My Storytime Bible by Renita Boyle (a review for The Catholic Company)

The Life You Save May Be Your Own by Paul Elie (library copy)

The Canada Geese Quilt by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock tells of Ariel and her family in the 1940s as they struggle with the recovery of her devoted grandmother after a stroke while preparing for a new baby. I think it could be a nice complement to a young person's study of World War II and think I'll ask First Son to read it next year (third grade). Like A Doctor Like Papa, the book is set in Vermont. (library copy)

O Little Town: A Novel by Don Reid is a little novel centered on the interactions of the people in a small town in the days before Christmas. It's a nice little story and kept me occupied during our drive to my parent's house when I wanted something light. The sermon at the end seemed to elicit a more miraculous response than it warranted, but I can live with that. (Kindle edition, available for free for as a limited time offer)

The Help by Kathryn Stockett was a great vacation book. It was engaging and entertaining without requiring a lot of thought on my part. Set in the 1960s, it focuses on racial interactions and inequities in a way that can help us think about them today as well. It's worth a few hours of your time to read it, though I do wish our library had a copy of the DVD so I could see the movie now. (borrowed copy)

The Cabin Faced West by Jean Fritz is the story of a ten year old girl on the frontier in Pennsylvania. She's ambivalent about her family's new home at the beginning of the novel, but grows to love it and to recognize her love for it. I had never read this as a child, but I intend to read it aloud to the kids when we're learning about the era just after the Revolutionary War. (library copy)

Because there were quite a few pre-reads this month, I thought I'd point out that I do not intend to read every book before the children do. It works out that way now because First Son doesn't read many chapter books unless I sit him down next to me and demand he read aloud. I do, however, like to pre-read all the books we may use for lessons because First Daughter is nearly three years younger than First Son and yet listens in on nearly all our lessons. She's a sensitive soul, as I've mentioned before, so I tend to be careful about what she may hear. I also like to pre-read any book I'm introducing within our lessons as I feel they may be given greater respect by the children. I'd like that respect to be well-deserved.