December 2024 Book Reports

The Aeneid by Vergil, translated by Sarah Ruden - I read this with my book club. I'm certain I read it back in 2019, or rather, listened to an audiobook version, because First Son was reading it that year, following the beta version of the Mater Amabilis high school English plans, but I can't find it on my blog. (Shock!) It was nice to have a refresher a year before Second Son will read it. I thought Ruden's translation was lovely and readable. The Odyssey may still be my favorite, however. (purchased copy, though I later found my son had a copy of this translation for his college Great Books class).

If you are looking for help in understanding The Aeneid, I highly recommend Elizabeth Vandiver's The Aeneid of Virgil, which also isn't on my blog but should be!

Still Alice by Lisa Genova - This novel portrays an active intelligent Harvard professor who suffers from early onset Alzheimer's disease. It's tragic but also hopeful. (from a fellow member of PaperBackSwap.com)

Strange Gods Before Me by Mother Mary Francis - I love A Right to Be Merry and was happy to see this book back in print when I had some birthday money to spend. Mother Mary Francis wrote this book in the years following Vatican II, as contemplative communities (and the whole Church) grappled with its ramifications. She writes against the "strange gods" of the modern world who distract us from our devotion to God and his will. I found this a fascinating book to be reading alongside a brief study of Vatican II with our adult ed church class and reading some of the Vatican II documents with my older daughter. Anyone discerning a religious vocation will find much to ponder in the book, especially those interested in contemplative orders. The insights into a rich spiritual life, though, are useful to anyone, not just someone in religious life. This book is worthy of its own post, but I am squeezing it in here because I'm trying to catch up! (purchased copy)

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

August and September 2024 Book Reports

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

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

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

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

March 2024 Book Reports

The Art of Conflict Management: Achieving Solutions for Life, Work, and Beyond by Michael Dues (Great Courses audio lecture series) - When First Daughter and I met for lunch with a local lawyer to learn about law school and law careers, the lawyer recommended learning conflict management skills. I found this series of recorded lectures from the Great Books program to add to her civics course. The 24 lectures cover a wide range of strategies for understanding conflict and communicating within relationships (or as a mediator) to find win-win solutions. I personally found it helpful in my own relationships and thought it was a great addition to the civics course. (purchased audiobook)

A Severe Mercy: A Story of Faith, Tragedy, and Triumph by Sheldon Vanauken - I read this with my book club. It was my second time reading the book, and I still didn't like it. Vanauken writes of the tragic loss of his young wife to illness after their conversion to Christianity, a conversion he didn't experience fully until after her death. More than anything, I think their love was flawed from the beginning when they decided children would come between them, so they wouldn't have any (though I acknowledge that decision might have changed after they became Christians if Davy hadn't already been suffering from her long illness). I guess it seems like the book is inward focused rather than other-focused, which is odd for me for such a *Christian* book. My favorite part is the afterward in which the author reveals Davy gave a baby up for adoption before their marriage. It completely changed my perspective on Davy and made me wish to understand her better from her own point of view, rather than her husband's. Overall, I think there are better books exploring the meaning of our faith in the face of suffering. (purchased copy) 

Two in the Far North by Margaret E. Murie - Murie was the first female graduate of the University of Alaska in 1924. She married a biologist, Olaus Murie, and together they worked and traveled in the wilds of Alaska. In later years, they traveled all over the world. In this book, she writes lovingly of their adventures in Alaska and the wilderness. Sometimes she and her husband traveled and worked alone; other times with colleagues and even their children. I am not an adventurous woman, but I love to read these kinds of adventures. Murie's describes the natural world with joy and a great thankfulness to be a part of it, even when they struggled. This is a classic of the conservation movement. (an older edition from PaperBackSwap.com)

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibanez - This historical fantasy romance was recommended in a local book group I follow just when I was looking for a light read for between book club books, so I requested it from the library. A young woman travels to Egypt after hearing of her parents' tragic deaths and ends up attacked by those who seek to pillage Egypt of its ancient treasures. Honestly, I found the writing painful, the plot convoluted, and the characters uneven. I suffered through the book to give myself closure, only to be disappointed because the author is planning a sequel (or a series). (library book)

Transforming Your Life through the Eucharist by John A. Kane - I have recommended this a number of times since I first read it. I didn't find it quite as striking the second time through, but it's still a good solid book on the Eucharist. (purchased copy)

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

February 2024 Book Reports

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

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

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

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

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

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

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November 2023 Book Reports

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

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

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

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Music Appreciation: How to Listen To and Understand Great Music

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

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

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

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

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

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

September 2023 Book Reports

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

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

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

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

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

July 2023 Book Reports

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

November 2022 Book Reports

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte - I had read this book a few years before we had kids, so it had been almost twenty years when I read it again with my book club. It seemed a little more trite to me this time around, though generally I think the main protagonist is a much more virtuous person than I would have been in her situation. (read free Kindle copy)

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

A Mercy by Toni Morrison - I read this as I was deciding on an African American literature selection for senior year. This book presents the stories of a single 1680s household from the differing perspectives of the master, mistress, and slaves. It is often difficult to read, both because the text can be challenging and because the events are harsh and tragic. Few people of privilege, wealth, or power are portrayed positively. But it is beautifully written. I think a high school senior could read it, though some will struggle in understanding some of the voices. There are also some pointed criticisms of Catholics that, while I think they are valid, would need context for a teenage Catholic reader. That is all in addition, of course, to all the content considerations you might imagine: rape, violence, slavery, witchcraft, intimacy outside of marriage and with people of the same gender, etc. (library copy)

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis - This was my second time through this audiobook and I loved it just as much as the first time. I picked up on many more of the jokes this time through because I had recently listened to Jerome K. Jerome's original travelogue, Three Men in a Boat. Back in 2020, I wrote:

This may be my favorite audiobook of all time. I enjoyed every single minute of it, invented chores so I could listen to it, and was both delighted with the ending and sorry it was over. It's a quirky tale of time-travel, Victorian England, the Blitz, and romance, "to say nothing of the dog" (and cat). (purchased from Audible during a sale)

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

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie - I've never been much of a mystery reader; I can never guess the murderer! But so many people rave about Agatha Christie, I thought I'd give a few of her books a try. I enjoyed this one, though of course I didn't figure out the solution until it was revealed. (library copy)

Leona by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino - I was looking on PaperBackSwap for books by this author because I love her book My Heart Lies South. This little out of print book about a brave but often over-looked woman in Mexico's history was available. It's written at about a middle school level, though the romance means it might be more interesting to older children. I enjoyed it, but I don't know that you have to seek it out. (received from another member of PaperBackSwap.com)

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

Two Old Women: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival by Velma Wallis - I read this with my book club. The story tells of the perseverance of two women left alone in the Alaskan wilderness, the revival of their skills to survive, and the flourishing of their friendship. It's also a story of the healing of family relationships. I added this book to my Geography of the Americas shelf in case any high schoolers want to select it as a free-read (Level 5 or Level 6). (purchased used)

The Yellow Fairy Book edited by Andrew Lang - I have read fairy tales aloud to all my kids regularly since the very beginning of our homeschooling journey, but we don't read one every day, or even every week, so it can take a long time to get through a book. Fairy tales seem to be enjoying something of a moment, especially in the homeschooling crowd, but nothing can teach you about the wonderful and the weird as much as reading through a collection from beginning to end. I picked something different to read aloud after this one, but I'm considering returning to the Blue Fairy Book after that because my younger kids don't remember it. (purchased used)

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.

An Essential Book: Searching for and Maintaining Peace

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

I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

The more our soul is peaceful and tranquil, the more God is reflected in it, the more His image expresses itself in us, the more His grace acts through us. (p. 5)

Part One puts forth the reasons we should seek interior peace above all else. Part Two addresses the difficulties and experiences that steal our peace, providing page after page of encouragement and advice. Part Three includes excerpts from writings of saints regarding interior peace.

It's impossible to choose quotations to share, because so much of the book is worth quoting. I haven't mastered interior peace, but Father Jacques Philippe makes it seem attainable.

As soon as I finished this book, I wanted to start over again at the beginning. I've talked about this book with random people I don't know at events around town and hear the same thing from many of them. They have all read it multiple times. I plan to have all my kids read it. I may even gift them each their own copy.

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

Financial Planning in a Catholic Way: How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity

[photo credit: WalletWin website]

How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity: A Catholic Guide to Managing Your Money

by Amanda and Jonathan Teixeira

The authors are the founders of WalletWin, an organization offering courses and support in learning to budget, pay off debt, and grow wealth.

This book was recommended in one of the Facebook discussions of the Mater Amabilis group when someone asked about personal finance. I've assigned You Need a Budget for my homeschool's personal finance study and was satisfied with the book. The recommendation was glowing, though, and since it seemed like it might appeal to other Mater Amabilis families, I decided I'd get a copy to see for myself.

I was pleased to learn the Teixerias actually use the YNAB system, which is my favorite way to budget and plan. They explain enough you don't need any prior knowledge of it to understand their book. 

As I was reading, I found the financial advice solid, but not much different that what I have read in financial columns, from Dave Ramsey, or from You Need a Budget. One benefit of this book over You Need a Budget is the assumption you are planning a financial future with a spouse, rather than a "partner," which most Catholic homeschoolers would probably prefer.

The two chapters of Part V, though, brought to the fore-front what it means to live your Catholic faith as a person whose economic needs (and those of his or her family) are met. 

A good, though fuzzy, rule of thumb is that you should give at a level that's noticeable, even a little uncomfortable. You should feel the difference that giving makes in your budget. (p. 257)

The Teixeiras challenge the reader to carefully and repeatedly consider what it means to give your excess away. They don't just encourage you to pray about your needs or to continuously examine your situation. They present what many would consider a counter-cultural example, even in the Christian world, of how to live generously. 

You could use wealth to smooth out all the problems in your life, but the Teixeiras encourage you to meet your needs, and allow some suffering in order to be more generous.

Avoiding suffering can be another appetite that is never satisfied. There will always be some suffering, however small, to avoid, to stamp out, some annoyance you don't want to deal with, and will try to find a way not to. And this neverending quest for a perfect life here on earth will never end, except in misery and disappointment. (p. 277)

They suggest asking yourself, "Does addressing this suffering allow me to freely focus on God and my vocation/enter more fully into life, or might I be running away from life by trying to escape?" (p. 277)

Your money might be able to make some things happen, but the power is not yours. Even if you worked harder or smarter than others to earn your living--it doesn't mean you are more worthy or have more dignity than anyone else.

Remember, the money isn't even yours. It's God's money, and he's asking you to manage it for him. (p. 279) 

I haven't used WalletWin; I've only read the book. If I heard a parish was considering offering Financial Peace University, though, I'd say, "Call WalletWin instead. Right now." No one asks me for financial advice, nor should they, but I will always recommend WalletWin over You Need a Budget or anything Dave Ramsey from now on.

One quibble, and one I have with essentially every Christian pay-down-your-debt-and-build-wealth book or program, is the idea that investments (e.g. for retirement) should be judged solely based on the rate of return. I would like to see more Christian and Catholic financial organizations address concerns about what companies are included in various mutual funds or investment portfolios and how those companies make their money, treat their employees, and act in the world. If you choose to avoid using products from a company because they allow child labor in their overseas practices, then you probably don't want to own stock in that company, but it's really difficult to find that message or to know what to do about it if you come to that decision on your own. If more companies like WalletWin spoke out about these kinds of issues, it could be the beginning of a movement. 

I have updated our previous lesson plans to use this book instead of You Need a Budget. I am also going to encourage my older daughter, who already finished the old plans, to read the last couple of chapters.

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

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

Far From Home

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

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

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

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

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

List of Episodes

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

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

03: What Will We Eat? (22 min)

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

05: Hitting the Road (28 min)

06: Mad Dash Across Europe (28 min)

07: The Real Rally Begins (30 min)

08: Not What We Expected (25 min)

09: An Eye-Opening Experience (28 min)

10: Culture Clash (35 min)

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

12: Breaking Down (24 min)

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

14: From Bad to Worse (25 min)

15: Whatever It Takes (34 min)

16: The Roads Get Rougher (30 min)

17: Stranded (31 min)

18: Wrong Way (26 min)

19: One Surprise After Another (32 min)

20: The Going  Gets Tough (32 min)

21: A Costly Mistake (30 min)

22: The Longest Day Ever (26 min)

23: The Finish Line (37 min)

24: Looking Back (39 min)

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

Monsters and Dragons: Beowulf

Beowulf: A New Verse Translation
by Seamus Heaney

Beowulf is a foundational text included in our Mater Amabilis high school plans for ninth grade English (Level 5 Year 1). Though you don't have to follow all of the plans, the history plans for ninth grade include references to Beowulf, so they complement each other. (The history honors lectures schedule The Anglo-Saxon World which includes even more details on Beowulf, and is highly enjoyable.)

Beowulf is an adventurer who follows stories of a monster to the Daneland, where he kills first Gendel and later Grendel's mother. Many years later, he vanquishes a dragon in his own land, though he loses his life in the struggle.

I haven't read Beowulf in any other translation, but this one was clearly understandable and enjoyable. There is an introduction by the translator that discusses Beowulf for some context and provides some insights into his translation. I read it, and motivated students may find it interesting, but it's not included in the Mater Amabilis plans.

This bilingual edition of Seamus Heaney's new translation of Beowulf shows the Anglo-Saxon on the left page and a modern English translation on the right. Also, the margins on the right have helpful notes describing the poem, like section headings. Line numbers are included.

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

Becoming Whole: Everything Sad Is Untrue

Everything Sad is Untrue (a true story)

by Daniel Nayeri

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Talking to Ourselves: Chatter

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

by Ethan Kross

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Examining the Foundation: Psychology Handbook for a Windy World

Psychology Handbook for a Windy World

by Mary O'Keefe Daly

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Revelation of God's Love: A Memory for Wonders

A Memory for Wonders: A True Story

by Mother Veronica Namoyo Le Goulard, P.C.C.

This stunningly beautiful book is the autobiography of Mother Veronica Namoyo, written and shared only by order from her superior. She was the child of atheists, yet felt herself encountering a presence repeatedly in her life that eventually led to conversion and a complete dedication of herself as a Poor Clare nun in Algiers.

Suddenly the sky over me and in some way around me, as I was on a small hillock, was all afire. The glory of the sunset was perhaps reflected in the myriads of particles of powdery sand still floating in the air. It was like an immense, feathery flame all scarlet from one pole to the other, with touches of crimson and, on one side, of deep purple. I was caught in limitless beauty and radiant, singing splendor. And at the same time, with a cry of wonder in my heart, I knew that all this beauty was created, I knew GOD. (p. 30)

The book ends with her entrance to the convent, but her life as a nun seems to be have been full and momentous. I would dearly love to read a biography of her time within the convent as well, though I recognize my curiosity is unlikely to be assuaged in this life.

Kneeling in cotton stockings, listening to these still foreign expressions and looking at the veiled forms beyond the threshold, I was conscious of an almost infinite distance between when I was and what I was supposed to be. But the grain of wheat had to be buried. I went to the other side, and an enormous key turned grindingly in the lock. (p. 182)

Later that night, as she knew alone in her cell, she could hardly pray. She said only "You wanted me here, and here I am." (p. 182) 

This would be an excellent choice for a supplemental geography book in Level 5 or 6 alongside the study of Africa. Descriptions of the life and people of Morocco and Algeria are interwoven with her story. 

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

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.