by Ray Flynn
Former U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican
I found this book while searching about for something other than Stories of Karol to assign to First Son for his Mater Amabilis™ ™ Level 4 Catholic saints and heroes.
Ray Flynn was mayor of Boston and, later, U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican. And a faithful Catholic Democrat. This book is not a biography or an analysis of the Pope's political activities. It is nothing more or less than Mr. Flynn's personal recollections of the times he encountered Pope St. John Paul II, including a few episodes before he became pope.
He attended World Youth Day in Denver in 1993. Mr. Flynn wandered around a bit, speaking with the young people. When asked why they were so excited to see the Pope, why they were willing to sleep on the floor on a classroom, they answered:
"Not just because he's the pope, but because he's the kind of pope he is. Because he doesn't just tell us what we want to hear. He tells the truth--even when it's hard for us to hear sometimes. That's how we know we can trust him. That's why we love him so much. That's why we came all this way to see him."During his time as ambassador, Mr. Flynn visited Poland. While there, he visited many of the sites of Pope St. John Paul II's childhood, youth, and early priesthood. He includes stories of Karol as a young boy and young priest.
Quite a few chapters cover the Cairo Conference in 1994. In the months leading up to the conference, the Holy Father spoke repeatedly about the evil of abortion. Mr. Flynn worked tirelessly to get the Clinton administration to talk with the Pope, to listen to him, and to to amend their position. But they did not. In the end, it cost Flynn his political future.
I lost a lot over Cairo. My relationships with the president, the White House, and the State Department were never the same afterward. But I did learn something, and it was John Paul II who taught it to me. I've always thought of politics as the art of compromise, and I always prided myself on being able to bring people together, even over issues that divide them. During the Cairo controversy, though, the pope showed me that sometimes--when morality is at stake--there can be no compromise, no way to bring people together. All you can to [sic] is to try to persuade them to do what's right and pray for them if they don't.There are lots of Pope St. John Paul II quotes in the book, ones I assume were confirmed with a copy of the text (though I didn't check any of them myself). People are always giving speeches and I rarely listen to any of them; I think most people don't. We may read bits and pieces of them in the news but we don't really listen. One of the aspects of the book I appreciated was how Mr. Flynn sought out Pope St. John Paul II and seemed to listen carefully and consider all he said. One of these, was the Pope's address to the UN on the eve of its fiftieth anniversary.
Then, in a remarkable passage in which he showed himself to be both theologian and politician, he explained how "every culture is an effort to ponder the mystery of the world and in particular of the human person....The heart of every culture is its approach to the greatest of all mysteries: the mystery of God." He proclaimed, "True patriotism never seeks to advance the well-being of one's own nation at the expense of others. For in the end this would harm one's own nation as well: doing wrong damages both aggressor and victim."Abortion wasn't the only difficult subject addressed in the book. Near the end, Mr. Flynn remembers the Pope's teachings on capital punishment.
Capital punishment is also a difficult issue to talk about. It's hard to be rational over an issue charged with emotions--such as pain, anger, and revenge. It is particularly hard when the media focus on the obvious harm inflicted on victims and their families by criminals but pay little attention to the more subtle harm done to a society that kills human beings, guilty though they might be.This book isn't exactly a biography, but I think it's an excellent introduction to Pope St. John Paul II within the context of his papacy and contemporary society. It is immersed in the twentieth century, which is the focus for First Son in eighth grade. Difficult political issues like abortion and capital punishment force Mr. Flynn to make decisions about how he's going to balance his faith and his career. His respect for Pope St. John Paul II is not simply respect for the papacy, but admiration and esteem for the wisdom and compassion of the man.
First Son will read about three chapters a week from this book, which will take about ten weeks. He will not narrate from it, but it is one of the books from which he can choose to copy passages into his commonplace book.
by Karen Congeni
by Natalie Savage Carlson is a Newbery Honor Book, but I was not overly impressed. It seems to have much to recommend it: opportunities to discuss another country (France and Paris), and poverty and kindness to those who are different than us. At first I was disturbed by the main character, Armand, who chooses to live on the streets rather than work a steady job. I'm sure there are some quite nice people who are homeless, some perhaps even by choice, and there is much to be learned from monastics and others who shun the financial lures of the world, but it just seemed like someone strong and capable should be working, and perhaps contributing to help those who really can't work or reliably care for themselves. I was also rather dismayed at the attitude of the gypsies portrayed in the book. I don't know much about gypsies in real life, but I can't imagine they'd be any more pleased than Native Americans would by by their depiction in 
. By the end, Armand reluctantly suffers a change of heart to help the "starlings" (the children), which is sweet, but overall I think we'll skip this book for the kids.
by Clyde R. Bulla is an out of print book I picked up at a library sale. I thought it might be a good choice for First Son since St. Francis is one of his favorite saints. Having read it, I'm so glad I bought it! It provides many of the same stories we've already read (so he'll find them familiar) in a chapter book format that will challenge him a little. I'm still not very good at judging reading levels, but it seems like something he should be able to read right now (or soon) so I'm currently planning on making it his first "reading lesson book" for the fall.
by Katherine Anne Porter is certainly not uplifting. I originally put this on my list because of influenza's role in the title story. (In case you don't know, I have a fascination with diseases like influenza.) The stories are certainly well-written, but quite stark and rather depressing...even disturbing at times. I'm pretty sure I'm missing some of the nuances. One of these days I really do need to follow through on the lessons of 
so I can better appreciation fiction.
by Conrad Buff is a treasure my mom discovered at Goodwill. It tells the legend of William Tell from the viewpoint of his eleven year old son, Walter. I haven't read many renditions of this legend, but I love how this one is focused more on the historical context of the legend rather than just William Tell's proficiency with a bow and arrow. This book is definitely on our list of approved reading for First Son.
adapted by Helen Taylor was recommended by 
and I want to read that when First Daughter (and maybe even Second Daughter) will be ready to enjoy it. (At that point, First Son may doing the reading aloud while I do something very sweet and domestic like cross-stitch.) I spent a bit of time researching online whether the original was anti-Catholic and did learn there is a reference to Pope who is decrepit and no longer a danger to the pilgrims. The adapted version, however, changed the name (I think to a generic Giant) so I found nothing worrisome. I have to admit allegories are difficult for me to follow completely. It's so easy for me to find where they break down. Hopefully by reading Louisa May Alcott's book immediately after we'll see a lot of the connections appear.
by Barbara Brooks Wallace was one I previewed for the kids. It's the tale of an orphan sent to live with her aunt who finds their home much changed, run as a home for unwanted elderly relatives by an evil mistress. Mysteries abound and personally I was a little surprised at how dark it seemed, but there wasn't anything supernatural involved. Everything wraps up nicely in the end. I think this could be a good book for an older child, but First Son may surpass the reading level before he's ready for the excitement level. We'll consider it a maybe for now.
by Diane Ravitch is an excellent summary of public education in the United States from around 1900 through the 1980s and 1990s. She has her own opinion, of course, and that comes through in the text, but for the most part I agree with her assessment of previous school reform ideas. The most interesting thing is how the same debates continue to rage every few decades. It seems every once in a while, someone builds an extraordinary school, but no one seems able to keep it going for very long and the public schools can't seem to extend those ideas to a whole school district. She doesn't discuss homeschooling much (one phrase in one sentence near the end), but that's not the point of the book. Even so, I find it interesting to compare the strategies and philosophies I've read with those of the more mainstream educators the author described. It's a bit long and sometimes repetitive (as each chapter is written so it could be read independently), but I found it informative.
by Marjane Satrapi is a graphic novel describing the author's childhood in Iran at the time of the Islamic Revolution. It is not a pleasant read and certainly not something you want to leave lying around where young children may pick it up (even those that cannot read as it's a graphic novel), but it's a valuable book for anyone interested in Iranian history or perhaps fundamentalism in general. I intend to read the second volume, too.
by David McCullough is a detailed and fascinating history of the Panama Canal. Though over 600 pages long, I managed to read it in just over a week, which is a testament both to how engaging it was and how often (and how long) Second Son wanted to nurse. I've read two books by David McCullough (the first being 
) and have greatly enjoyed both of them. The technical details may be a little overwhelming for those of us who are not engineers, but the stories are incredibly compelling. It's also clear how much Mr. McCullough enjoys researching and writing these histories, which always adds to the enjoyment of a reader. This book is still in print, though originally published in the 1970s, so I'm not the only one who appreciates this author's style.
by Katrina Kenison is a series of essays encouraging mothers in their daily lives. I appreciated her encouragement to slow down and appreciate the vocation of motherhood, I found myself a bit annoyed at her "spiritual" tone. There's very little specifically about God or our vocation in relationship to him. Instead, the essays use vague language about souls, peace, connection to nature and time, etc. It's not that I disagree with anything she says; I just think she's missing the point. Or at least, didn't want to risk offending anyone or decreasing her potential sales by actually talking about God, despite the title. (I thought 
by Marjane Satrapi is the continuation of Ms. Satrapi's life (from 
by Anne Tyler is the story of a young man who leaves college to care for his brother's children to assuage feelings of guilt. It was an engrossing story and one I think I enjoyed. I guess I'm never quite sure what I'm supposed to get out of modern fiction. Usually I just take it as a good story and leave it at that. With this one I kept wondering what would have happened if he'd been Catholic and found a good confessor. I don't think that's what the author intended.
by Beverly Cleary is a classic from my own childhood I wanted to read again before sharing with First Son. It's a fine story telling of Ralph's adventures in an elementary school classroom and how he applies what he's learned in his own life. There are some references to "missing" parents (no father in the picture or no mother in the picture), but they aren't too integral to the plot. I think I'd like these mice books better if I didn't have so many experiences with mice in our house here in the country. Luckily we haven't seen too many recently.
edited by Lloyd Thacker is a collection of essays on the process of selecting a college. The essays seemed to have different audiences (parents, students, media, college counselors, admissions teams, etc.) so there is a wide variety of subjects. There's a variety of opinions, too. I'm interested in books like these as a student from an "elite" college and as the wife of a professor at a university, but I found this particular book a little disjointed with all the different topics. I think I'm also in the process of reevaluating what I think the purpose of a college education is and what we can reasonably expect or hope for as parents and as citizens. I'll let you know if I figure it out. (Ha!) There's one particularly good essay (in my opinion) for prospective college students and their parents: "Status vs. Substance: Is There a Choice?" It presented a great series of questions and steps to take to guide students to picking a number of "first-choice" colleges for application.
by Gary Rivlin is a very readable history of the industries catering to the working poor (or just the poor). It was a little shocking and I can't help thinking a great many of these businesses are unethical. There is, of course, a discussion of the sub-prime mortgage mess as well.
and 
by Clyde Robert Bulla, both as previews for First Son. In the latter, a young boy is driven from his castle by his uncle and petitions King Arthur for assistance. Knights and castles, what could be better for a six year old boy? After reading 
together (by the same author, mentioned above), I went looking for other books by Clyde Bulla. They are wonderfully written and seem to be at the second or third grade level, almost too easy for First Son, but there are so many exciting choices. I'm not sure how many we'll read together as part of his reading lessons, but I'll be happily checking them out of the library for him. He loved the one on St. Francis (his favorite saint) and I'm guessing the ones on pirates and Vikings will also be winners.
by Ursula K. Le Guin is the fourth book in the Earthsea Cycle. I enjoyed it, as I enjoy most fiction, but I got the feeling she was trying to say something (in particular, something about the difference between men and women) that I missed. Also, the ending was rather odd. Everything was wrapped up within a few pages after a long slow section, almost too suddenly. The ending is more like a beginning, so I'll definitely have to read the fifth and sixth books.
by David Anderegg has been on my list for a long time. I'm not sure it covered anything I didn't already know, but it was an interesting read. I think in a lot of ways he and I came to the same conclusions, but for completely different reasons. For example, he goes through a study showing the financial benefits of an elite college education and basically asks if the monetary difference is worth all the stress. I would argue the benefits of an elite college education are much less about money than they are about the conversations and challenges of such a student body. (Kansas Dad argues the professors are remarkably similar, especially given the current economic situation and dearth of faculty openings.) Anyway, I think a student who desires those kinds of interactions is also the kind that will be attractive to that kind of school, which means parents (and their children) should not be so concerned with all the "extras" they may think they need to be accepted. I liked how he chastised the media for exasperating parents' worries and agree with his declaration that the children about whom we really need to worry are those growing up in poverty.
by F. A. Forbes is a little book about one of Kansas Dad's favorite saints. I had been considering reading it to the children, but think it above the first grade level even as a read-aloud. I think it's listed as a middle-school reading level and would agree with that. It goes into a bit of detail on the Arian heresy against which St. Athanasius fought nearly his entire life. Kansas Dad sometimes longs for the days when theological arguments would bring rioting in the streets (not for the rioting, but for the evidence that people really cared about ontological controversies today) and this book certainly describes those kinds of events. It's not what you'd call an objective biography, though...more hero worship. I think that's alright for some books on saints, as long as it's balanced by other sources. (We have Kansas Dad for that.) I liked it and will definitely keep it around for the kids when they're older.
by Ursula K. Le Guin covers the distant past of Earthsea and sets everything up for the final book. I enjoyed it more than the last book, though Kansas Dad wasn't a big fan.
by Eleanor Estes was another preview for the kids. This is the sequel to 
. I happened to enjoy the first book more than this one, but they're both good reads for kids. Someone who loves cats will particularly enjoy reading about Pinky. Ms. Estes surely knew cats!
by Ursula K. Le Guin is the final book in the Earthsea saga. I enjoyed this one as much as the others, but don't have anything profound to say about it.
by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason was a remarkably enjoyable book. It's much better written than Dan Brown's book (which some people claim is similar). Full of intellectual puzzles and action, it's definitely worth your time.
by Temple Grandin is the most recent autobiography of this amazing autistic woman who has made a place for herself in the slaughtering industry. Kansas Dad and I are fascinated by her. She's been honored by both McDonald's and PETA. Who else can say that? Her book is incredibly insightful for those who are interested in how autistics (and others on the spectrum) perceive the world and the kind of help parents and others can provide. She is incredibly well-read. You can listen to her speak on the TED website on how we can encourage the creativity and engineering skills of those who may not fit into our social culture. The last chapter, in which she explains her concept of God, was a little odd, but other than that this was a fascinating book.
by Paul Fleischman is a book I picked up at a library sale. I read it through thinking First Son might enjoy it as part of our bird study this year. It's a brief recounting of the journey by two naturalists (and a group of others) on the Oregon Trail before it was the Oregon Trail and on to Hawai'i and back again. I think I'll let First Son read it as it has some parts that might be particularly interesting for young boys (like when the men stick their heads right into a buffalo to drink the blood because they are so thirsty - ugh).
by Jeanne Perego, illustrations by Donata Dal Molin Casagrande, translated by Andrew Matt.
.