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Classic books that you feel inspire truth,beauty,wisdom or"what's in yr amazon cart?"


Halcyon
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Ok, I don't know if this qualifies as a classic, but I'm just listening to the end of Cry the Beloved Country, the audiobook of the Alan Paton novel read by Michael York. It is phenomenal, and so filled with truth, beauty and wisdom it makes my heart want to burst. I'm trying to decide if it's a little too old for dd9? But I'm thinking it will be worth it.

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You know, it is hard to say. My barely verbal almost 5 year old and I had been enjoying Frances Hodgson Burnett's stories in the car (the 3 yo boy hadn't complained either) and dh joined us on one trip. He enjoyed them so much we were forbidden to listen to them any more when he wasn't there! :glare::lol: If a 36 year old man can wriggle with delight over Little Lord Fauntleroy, the Secret Garden and The Little Princess, who is to say who will and won't like what?

 

Rosie

 

 

Love that imagery. :)

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Here's my question. I would like to read more classic lit to my kids as we have always done a read aloud before lunch time. They love this time of all being together reading a great book. But, we've mostly done historical fiction. So, I just wonder which classics would make good read alouds for 2 teen girls and one eleven year old boy. I read appropriate books to dd age 8 at a different time of the day even though she would be present at the before lunch reading too.

 

I would like to start reading classics that would capture everyone's attention since this would be a new direction for us. (Not necessarily my 8 yr. old.)

 

Swiss family Robinson?

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Thank you for links! I have been pondering which ones to purchase (I haven't read them in English before). I love that it also has french text. My poor children. If they only know what awaits them. :D

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These are my recent purchases (though I haven't received either one yet.......I'm waiting impatiently!)

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Picturesque-Tale-Progress-Volumes/dp/B0016FV4T4/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332505656&sr=1-1-spell

 

 

 

I bought this set a couple years ago at a used book sale for 1.00 a book. I love it! As a read aloud some of the language was tricky and we had to do quite a bit of discussion on the term "savages." OTOH, I have found it invaluable because of the prints and illustrations. I also really appreciated that it wasn't staunchly YE. I am finding this set to be a great Logic age version of SOTW. (Although, I would still love a logic age version of SOTW ;))

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I bought this set a couple years ago at a used book sale for 1.00 a book. I love it! As a read aloud some of the language was tricky and we had to do quite a bit of discussion on the term "savages." OTOH, I have found it invaluable because of the prints and illustrations. I also really appreciated that it wasn't staunchly YE. I am finding this set to be a great Logic age version of SOTW. (Although, I would still love a logic age version of SOTW ;))

 

Mine arrived in this afternoon's mail. THey are in beautiful condition (these are the 1949 ed). I am so excited about finishing up school and getting to spend time reading them. My dds have already started going through them and love the artwork.

 

Now if My Book House books would only arrive, I would be in book bliss!

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Thanks. I'll try to track down a used copy or see if any of the libraries nearby have it. I know our library has quite a few of Godden's books. My kids love her work for children, but I've found them to be valuable for myself along with her work for adults.

 

I just stumbled across Diddakoi on Audible. It's on sale right now. ;)

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The Little White Horse, by Elizabeth Goudge

The Chestry Oak, by Kate Seredy

 

Neither of these is available for Nook or Kindle; the Chestry Oak is out of print but worth searching local public libraries for (sometimes you can find copies on e-bay, but they are e.x.p.e.n.s.i.v.e!); you might be able to find a paperback of the Little White Horse. Ignore any reviews; they always get it wrong. Ask me. :-)

 

Understood Betsy, by Dorothy Canfield. Download it on your Kindle or Nook. :)

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I've got LM Montgomery's books including Jane of Lantern Hill, which is a pretty nice one.
Pardon me if I missed this upthread, but as much as dear as Anne is to me, it's The Story Girl (and The Golden Road) I'd take to the proverbial desert island.
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Can we add movies? Don't watch this with the kids, but the best modern version of the Odyssey is....

 

Dumb and Dumber.

 

:bigear:

My vote goes to O Brother, Where Art Thou? :001_smile:

Edited by nmoira
comma
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Can we add movies? Don't watch this with the kids, but the best modern version of the Odyssey is....

 

Dumb and Dumber.

 

:bigear:

 

Confession: I love Dumb and Dumber. I have never thought to compare it to the Odyssey, though. Now I feel better about liking it.

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Sure,

 

It's a perfect inversion of the Odyssey:

 

wise man = fool

going home to rescue wife from suitors = leaving home to another man's wife

 

 

all on the same framework of a long journey with it's many vicissitudes. Remember, there's even a Dante reference in it where they kill the cyclopes!

 

Oh, Brother is too serious.

 

;)

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Eleanor viewpost.gif

Any children's books by Rumer Godden. The Diddakoi, the doll house stories, etc.

 

Oh, I read The Diddakoi in the Reader's Digest Condensed Books version when I was a young girl. I had no idea it was written by Rumer Godden. :001_smile:

(FWIW, it's about a gypsy girl and the problems she has as an outcast in the place where she lives. It's very poignant.)

I happened to see the book The Dragon of Og at a book sale a couple of months ago and picked it up b/c I had heard her adult book In This House of Brede recommended by a couple of people. We just started The Dragon this morning, because of the long thread yesterday, and it is so well-written! I love it. I had no idea she had written more children's books....off to look them up!!

 

As soon as you mentioned truth, beauty and wisdom, I thought of Girl of The Limberlost. It's an old-fashioned book, for sure, but the main character is just so inspiring. She has a very difficult mom who is transformed in the course of the story, thanks to her dd's character and behavior--it really impacted me. Made me love nature study, too!
That was my most favorite book growing up. I've never read her other ones but I've heard they are good. Edited by abreakfromlife
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Quote:

Originally Posted by Eleanor viewpost.gif

Any children's books by Rumer Godden. The Diddakoi, the doll house stories, etc.

 

I happened to see the book The Dragon of Og at a book sale a couple of months ago and picked it up b/c I had heard her adult book In This House of Brede recommended by a couple of people. We just started The Dragon this morning, because of the long thread yesterday, and it is so well-written! I love it. I had no idea she had written more children's books....off to look them up!!

 

That was my most favorite book growing up. I've never read her other ones but I've heard they are good.

 

This is complete OT, but the opening quote from In This House of Brede is my favorite quote ever for parenthood and homeschooling!

 

 

“The motto was ‘Pax’: but the word was set in a circle of thorns. Pax: peace, but what a strange peace, made of unremitting toil and effort, seldom with a seen result; subject to constant interruptions, unexpected demands, short sleep at nights, little comfort, sometimes scant food; beset with disappointments and usually misunderstood; yet peace all the same, undeviating, filled with joy and gratitude and love. ‘It is my own peace I give unto you.’ Not, notice, the world’s peace.”

 

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Wow that's great. Apparently I should take that book off the shelf and actually read it :tongue_smilie:

Sorry to keep going on about Rumer Godden, but I love In This House of Brede.

 

We have The Story of Holly and Ivy (beautifully illustrated by Barbara Cooney) and we just checked out The Mousewife from the library again. The first book of hers that I read was The Doll's House with my oldest.

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Here's my question. I would like to read more classic lit to my kids as we have always done a read aloud before lunch time. They love this time of all being together reading a great book. But, we've mostly done historical fiction. So, I just wonder which classics would make good read alouds for 2 teen girls and one eleven year old boy. I read appropriate books to dd age 8 at a different time of the day even though she would be present at the before lunch reading too.

 

I would like to start reading classics that would capture everyone's attention since this would be a new direction for us. (Not necessarily my 8 yr. old.)

 

My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell! No one doesn't think it's hilarious and as a memoir it's sort of a nice transition from your historical fiction!

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My ILL order came thru tonight and I just finished Diddakoi, by Rumer Godden. And cried. What a good and heart-wrenching story. Now I want to read everything she's written. I can't wait for dd to read it so we can discuss it. Thanks to whomever recommended it. That's going on my to-buy list.

 

This is going on my list! My library doesn't have it so I'll have to find it elsewhere. We are reading What Katy Did and it's lovely.

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We are reading What Katy Did and it's lovely.
oh yay. That came in tonight too and I gave that to dd to take to bed. I'm going to read that tomorrow. And I flipped through Little Duke and that looked so good, so ds took that to bed....I would be so lost without ILL. Every couple of years they threaten to cut funding to it and I freak out.
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I just scored a set of the My Book House books (except book 2) for $40 at the used book store! So excited!

 

Cool!!!

 

We received Lamb's Shakespeare in the mail and love it. I also got some Coville books out of the library and they are wonderful introductions to Shakespeare as well.

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