Book a Week in 2014 - BW36

[shukriyya]

Hey gals!  I was wondering if you all could help me out on a little book related project.  Our co-op has shrunk to just 3 families this year but we are plunging in anyway with a more Charlotte Mason flavor.  We meet every two weeks and one of the "classes" we are doing is Tales with Tea.  We are going to alternate between poetry and a children's lit selection every co-op.  I've compiled a list of Children's poetry books and authors, as well as a list of some children's books.  I was wondering if you all had anything to add. The girls are going to be 9, 13, and 14.  The 9 year old is an excellent reader but a bit young for her age.  She read all of the Narnia books last year.  I'm looking for some middle ground here.  Here's what I have so far.

 

Oh, and we want to do Haiku for one of our poetry days.  Is there a good children's Haiku book?

 

Thanks for your help!  I know you all will think of things I haven't yet!

 

Angel, have you tried T.S. Eliot's, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. It's full of whimsy and wit and I believe there's even a study guide to go with it if you feel so inclined. The musical 'Cats' is based on this book so that might be a fun way to enlarge the poetic experience. Hey, maybe we'll do this, too, it's sounding rather fun :lol:

 

I have generally felt hemmed in by poetry books designated for children and instead have chosen freely from what he have on hand. There is so much wonderful material out there that a child (anyone, really) can easily access if they're taught how to allow the words or phrases to settle somewhere inside them to live and play in a way that is relevant. A single line can evoke much, a word even. It's a reciprocal relationship that one is trying to build IMO rather than the ear trying to accommodate the poem or vice versa, more a question of where do we meet, poem and I?

[Kareni]

An update on the raspberries ~

 

My daughter is home after a one year stint teaching English to kindergartners and elementary aged children in South Korea.  We're enjoying our time with her before she heads back to South Korea to do something other than teach which she's decided is NOT her calling!  She found a recipe on line for a Peach Raspberry Cobbler which she prepared with a few tweaks.  It is delicious!

 

The changes she made:

 

brown instead of white sugar in the fruit mix

less butter

only 3/4 cup milk

no cinnamon

no lemon juice

1 cup peach and 3 cups of raspberries

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

[shukriyya]

Ahhh, those idyllic homeschooling days!  I still have the cuneiform clay tablets we made -- didn't occur to me to do cookies! There is an idyllic quality to the rhythm of commutes to classes, too, but nothing compares to the lazy days of exploration and discussions at home.  Do you have knitting projects planned?

 

 

Yes, knitting season is upon us and though I've been knitting intermittently throughout the year it tends to step up right around now. I'm working on a hat for dh and I shall pick up the shawl I began last February and then abandoned as the weather grew warmer. The cuneiform cookies were the highlight of the day for ds. He spelled out man, woman, eat, food, with each word represented by one giant cookie. And I was reminded of Ang Lee's wonderful movie, 'Eat, Drink, Man, Woman' :lol:

[JennW in SoCal]

Oh, Eliana, I have to agree with Pam that Cloud Atlas is just wonderful. Do read it!

 

So I really disliked the movie.  Can't remember why exactly, but it seems like I found it pretentious, as if the creators thought it was deep and profound while really it was neither.  A definite meh. 

 

Didn't you also like the movie?  I've been reluctant to try the book, even though I know books are always infinitely better, and more often than not completely different.  And reluctant even though I generally follow your and Pam's recommendations.

 

So...sell it to me!  Why did you love it and why do you recommend it?  

[Pam in CT]

An update on the raspberries ~

 

My daughter is home after a one year stint teaching English to kindergartners and elementary aged children in South Korea.  We're enjoying our time with her before she heads back to South Korea to do something other than teach which she's decided is NOT her calling!  

Enjoy her visit!  And best wishes on her new venture...

 

 

So I really disliked the movie.  Can't remember why exactly, but it seems like I found it pretentious, as if the creators thought it was deep and profound while really it was neither.  A definite meh. 

 

Didn't you also like the movie?  I've been reluctant to try the book, even though I know books are always infinitely better, and more often than not completely different.  And reluctant even though I generally follow your and Pam's recommendations.

 

So...sell it to me!  Why did you love it and why do you recommend it?  

 

Hmm.  Well.  I don't know that I can sell it, because by this point I'm too far in it... It's *claimed* me like Stuart Little did Violet Crown as a child, lol...

 

I did like the movie, but the Wachowskis' and Tykwer's decision to use the same actors (astonishingly transformed in some cases) for the different stories implies a more personal, reincarnation-type connection between them that I can see might feel pretentious... in the book, the connections are mostly thematic (though the birthmark is shared by two characters in the book as well) and are therefore maybe less heavy handed...

 

... and while I truly can't account for or express why it's claimed me so fully, I know that part of it is that two of the themes in the book (that our individual wants impel us to define categories of Other as conveniently less-than-human; and that each of us is called to a task during our time here) speak spot on to where I happen to be in other realms of my life.  So its pull on my soul is intensely, intensely personal and situational, and I would fully expect ymmv.

 

That said, if I (attempt to!) step back and deconstruct the book from a literary standard, there are an awful lot of elements that Mitchell does extremely well.  I wouldn't really expect it to capture anyone else as it has me, because there is this (mystical? coincidental? pretentious, lol?) alignment between it and where I just happen to be right at this moment; but I do think it's well worthwhile from a writerly / readerly vantage.

[Uff Da!]

I love the look of the Greek book. I couldn't resist ordering one for us. The dc's did the Elementary Greek books a couple of years ago but never went to the next step.

 

It has probably been discussed but which One Year Bible? I showed dh your post while looking at the Greek book, he thought I wanted the Bible too. ;) I started looking and discovered several different versions. Maybe I do want a One Year Bible but not sure which one.

 

I keep meaning to start my Chronological Bible project again (just reading one that is already printed chronologically, very interesting format. I never finished mainly because my Chronological Bible it is huge. I noticed several of the One Year Bibles are advertised as small sized...

 

This is the one I got and I bought it blind off of an Ann Voskamp recommendation:

http://www.amazon.com/The-One-Year-Bible-Translation-2/dp/1414302045/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409832393&sr=8-1&keywords=the+one+year+bible

It does line up with the blog that Robin mentioned:  http://www.oneyearbibleblog.com/

 

Here's Ann's blog and the "The Pick of the Best Bibles" is the one with her favorites.  I saw the Illuminated one when it came through town and wanted a version of it then.....It would make a beautiful confirmation gift I think.

http://www.aholyexperience.com/category/bible-reading/

 

I think the Greek book will be fun for us.  I don't think matching the translation will be as difficult as I originally thought.  Often, once I sound out a word, I can figure out what English word matches it.

[Uff Da!]

Is that the blog you were talking about Robin? The One Year Bible and blog are working through Ecclesiastes and you had mentioned Job.

[Violet Crown]

Pam, I assume you've seen the thread on the K-8 board where Stuart Little is again being beaten like a red-headed stepchild? Along with Wind in the Willows. Ah, Rattie, forgive them.

 

Not that everyone isn't entitled to their own opinions, naturally....

[Pam in CT]

Pam, I assume you've seen the thread on the K-8 board where Stuart Little is again being beaten like a red-headed stepchild? Along with Wind in the Willows. Ah, Rattie, forgive them.

 

Not that everyone isn't entitled to their own opinions, naturally....

 

Well, actually, I hadn't seen it, because I only ever come to this forum, since *I wouldn't ever get a single thing done* if I indulged in the others.  But I just went over to peek.  

 

Pish.

[mamaraby]

I'm trying to read The Book Thief. Will I ever get into it and like it? Should I listen to the audio book? Do I give up and watch the movie? Should I try watching the movie first? Am I going to cry through the whole thing?

 

Help!

I found it a bit hard to get into as well. I did finally make it through, but it took awhile. Maybe it's a mix of the way it's written? I say go for the audiobook.

 

Ine of my penpals just adores the book and has reread it more than a few times. I never loved it like that, but I did like it well enough. :0)

[Angel]

I love the look of the Greek book. I couldn't resist ordering one for us. The dc's did the Elementary Greek books a couple of years ago but never went to the next step.

 

It has probably been discussed but which One Year Bible? I showed dh your post while looking at the Greek book, he thought I wanted the Bible too. ;) I started looking and discovered several different versions. Maybe I do want a One Year Bible but not sure which one.

 

I keep meaning to start my Chronological Bible project again (just reading one that is already printed chronologically, very interesting format. I never finished mainly because my Chronological Bible it is huge. I noticed several of the One Year Bibles are advertised as small sized...

 

Which Bible is this?  Do they print one in the King James Version?  I've wondered recently if they have a Bible printed in chronological order.  

 

Angel, have you tried T.S. Eliot's, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. It's full of whimsy and wit and I believe there's even a study guide to go with it if you feel so inclined. The musical 'Cats' is based on this book so that might be a fun way to enlarge the poetic experience. Hey, maybe we'll do this, too, it's sounding rather fun :lol:

 

I have generally felt hemmed in by poetry books designated for children and instead have chosen freely from what he have on hand. There is so much wonderful material out there that a child (anyone, really) can easily access if they're taught how to allow the words or phrases to settle somewhere inside them to live and play in a way that is relevant. A single line can evoke much, a word even. It's a reciprocal relationship that one is trying to build IMO rather than the ear trying to accommodate the poem or vice versa, more a question of where do we meet, poem and I?

 

This was in my Amazon wish list already!!  I had forgotten about it!  Thanks for reminding me!  I was planning to do the Friday tea with Aly and read poetry and my co-op group loved the idea and wanted to do it together  :D  Everyone wanted to have tea lol!  

 

Poetry is so personal, much like literature.  I don't want to beat it to death, I want them to appreciate the words, the rhyme, and the rhythm and have it speak to them.  Unfortunately, I will not be the only one teaching this class so I hope we are all on the same page.  I'm not an analyzer but a feeler.  I'm interested in making personal connections to poetry and literature.  Hopefully, that goes well  ;)

[NoseInABook]

That reminds me that I have the Book Thief in my to-read pile as well. Hmm.

 

Dead Witch Walking did pick up. I'm about finished with it and might even pick up the next in the series. I finished Season Of The Witch which was entertaining for sure but I'm not that impressed with the author. Lysa TerKeurst's Your Best Yes is great. I actually put it into play this morning when I said no to a call for a foster daughter. I've been waiting for a daughter for years. This one was being reunified with bio family in a month or two. I couldn't put my family through another good-bye that quickly. I can't do it to myself. So, we wait and pray that God will bring that daughter who is meant to be ours. I'll just be sad and eat too much chocolate today to get over having to say no even if it was the best choice for our family.

[shukriyya]

 

 

This was in my Amazon wish list already!! I had forgotten about it! Thanks for reminding me! I was planning to do the Friday tea with Aly and read poetry and my co-op group loved the idea and wanted to do it together :D Everyone wanted to have tea lol!

 

Poetry is so personal, much like literature. I don't want to beat it to death, I want them to appreciate the words, the rhyme, and the rhythm and have it speak to them. Unfortunately, I will not be the only one teaching this class so I hope we are all on the same page. I'm not an analyzer but a feeler. I'm interested in making personal connections to poetry and literature. Hopefully, that goes well ;)

Can I join the class? :lol: I'll bring some orange sponge cake and a selection of teas. Ds is advocating for chocolate as well...which I'm not averse to :D

[Violet Crown]

(((NoseInABook)))

[JennW in SoCal]

 

Poetry is so personal, much like literature.  I don't want to beat it to death, I want them to appreciate the words, the rhyme, and the rhythm and have it speak to them.  Unfortunately, I will not be the only one teaching this class so I hope we are all on the same page.  I'm not an analyzer but a feeler.  I'm interested in making personal connections to poetry and literature.  Hopefully, that goes well  ;)

 

Have you all read Love that Dog by Sharon Creech?  It is a novel told through a series of free verse poems, poems that a boy writes in response to his poetry lessons at school.  It is sad -- sensitive animal lovers beware -- but really beautiful.  AND, to me at least, it is a great introduction to reading poetry because the formal, often intimidating construct of poetry disappears as you get immersed in the story.

 

That reminds me that I have the Book Thief in my to-read pile as well. Hmm.

 

Dead Witch Walking did pick up. I'm about finished with it and might even pick up the next in the series. I finished Season Of The Witch which was entertaining for sure but I'm not that impressed with the author. Lysa TerKeurst's Your Best Yes is great. I actually put it into play this morning when I said no to a call for a foster daughter. I've been waiting for a daughter for years. This one was being reunified with bio family in a month or two. I couldn't put my family through another good-bye that quickly. I can't do it to myself. So, we wait and pray that God will bring that daughter who is meant to be ours. I'll just be sad and eat too much chocolate today to get over having to say no even if it was the best choice for our family.

 

Just many hugs, my dear.  Hugs for the strength in saying no, hugs for the continued yearning. Your beautiful, giving heart is an inspiration.  Humbling, too.  

[Stacia]

NoseInABook, many hugs for you.

 

Michele, I loveed The Book Thief. I cried a bit in the beginning & then bawled the last 30 minutes or so when I was reading. That said, I've heard of quite a few people who just never really got into the story.

 

Jenn, like Pam, maybe Cloud Atlas spoke to me personally on a very deep level. One thing I did love about the book was the narrative structure because he tells the first half of five stories in chronological order, stopping right in the middle of the story. (One time stopping even right in the middle of a sentence.) The sixth story (the post-apocalyptic world with Tom Hanks & Halle Berry) is told in its entirety. Then, he moves backward through time to finish each of the remaining five stories. The stories are beautifully intertwined & nested & the structure does an amazing job of showcasing the shared humanity of the people from all over the world, all through time. And even though each main character is human & has flaws, you are still drawn to them because of the hidden gems that Mitchell tucks away into each of them.

 

Another thing the book gives you is a much better feel for each of the characters, their motivations, & their beliefs. Even though the movie was long, there just wasn't a way to easily get into that with each of the stories. So, I think the movie focused on a few more than others & certainly missed out on portraying parts of that. Reading the book may give you some of that missing emotional connection to the characters & their stories. Even though humans & human thoughts change & evolve through time, in a way, everything circles back -- the story as well as the structure show that. The way Mitchell nested each story, each connecting thread, is just delightful. Imo, in the book, it is not heavy-handed at all -- just barest mentions, little wisps that puff through time & appear or repeat elsewhere.

 

“Our lives are not our own. We are bound to others, past and present, and by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future.â€

 

Ultimately, I think the book emphasizes our humanity with the hope that, ultimately, humans will finally figure out how to love instead of hate.

 

I think the movie did a good job with the story even though they set it up differently (the narrative jumps much more between time & characters than in the book). Considering the structure of the story, the sheer number of characters & time periods, I was quite impressed that the movie pulled it off as much as it did. (And I was eternally grateful that Tom Hanks did *not* channel his Forrest Gump voice for the character in the post-apocalyptic world. Lol.)

 

Pam, I think you have an interesting comment re: the re-use of the actors to portray the main characters in the stories. Yes, I agree, maybe that makes too strong a statement re: reincarnation (which I didn't get from the book). When reading, I don't remember ever thinking that the characters were reincarnations of earlier characters, just that there was some shared spark between humans of different time periods. I didn't really think about it that way when watching the movie (probably because I had already read the book), just thought it was quite a brilliant & refreshing move on the part of the movie-makers & the make-up people.

 

P.S. The voice of the guy character in the post-apocalyptic world is the one thing that bugged me in the book. I could never get into the cadence of it & struggled a bit in that section because of it. In that respect, I liked the movie better as I could see the 'fit' better on the screen than in my own head.

 

So, are you convinced now? ;-)

[ChrisB]

That reminds me that I have the Book Thief in my to-read pile as well. Hmm.

 

Dead Witch Walking did pick up. I'm about finished with it and might even pick up the next in the series. I finished Season Of The Witch which was entertaining for sure but I'm not that impressed with the author. Lysa TerKeurst's Your Best Yes is great. I actually put it into play this morning when I said no to a call for a foster daughter. I've been waiting for a daughter for years. This one was being reunified with bio family in a month or two. I couldn't put my family through another good-bye that quickly. I can't do it to myself. So, we wait and pray that God will bring that daughter who is meant to be ours. I'll just be sad and eat too much chocolate today to get over having to say no even if it was the best choice for our family.

 

:grouphug:

[ChrisB]

NoseInABook, many hugs for you.

 

Michele, I loveed The Book Thief. I cried a bit in the beginning & then bawled the last 30 minutes or so when I was reading. That said, I've heard of quite a few people who just never really got into the story.

 

Me too!  It's been a few years, but I remember crying for the last several pages.  I also really loved the book.

[mumto2]

This is the one I got and I bought it blind off of an Ann Voskamp recommendation:

http://www.amazon.com/The-One-Year-Bible-Translation-2/dp/1414302045/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409832393&sr=8-1&keywords=the+one+year+bible

It does line up with the blog that Robin mentioned:  http://www.oneyearbibleblog.com/

 

Here's Ann's blog and the "The Pick of the Best Bibles" is the one with her favorites.  I saw the Illuminated one when it came through town and wanted a version of it then.....It would make a beautiful confirmation gift I think.

http://www.aholyexperience.com/category/bible-reading/

 

I think the Greek book will be fun for us.  I don't think matching the translation will be as difficult as I originally thought.  Often, once I sound out a word, I can figure out what English word matches it.

  

 

Thank you for the link, I spent way too much time looking at her blog. One thing I discovered was she has a link there for chronological order also. After spending some time there it does not appear to correspond very well to the one I already own but there is a link to the recommended. I want to do one of these programs but not sure which. There was also a link to the ESV (my favourite, but not what I own ;) ). I am going to talk to dh and see which one he recommends.

 

I think the Greek book will arrive tomorrow! Looking forward to taking a look at it. I may end up saving it for a future dd present because she would probably enjoy it the most in our family.

 

Which Bible is this?  Do they print one in the King James Version?  I've wondered recently if they have a Bible printed in chronological order.  

The version I have is The Narrated Bible in Chronological Order by F.Lagard Smith. It was an impulse buy when placing a CBD order a few years ago. I wasn't even thinking about versions just what it could do for my homeschool program, obviously I hadn't known a chronological format existed. I just pulled it off the shelf this afternoon and discovered that I could just do a section a day with this bible. It has marks to divide a years reading and commentary within. It is very readable just not portable. I did enjoy it but too heavy for reading in bed. I looked on amazon and they do have a King James version but I would recommend a trip to a Christian Bookstore to physically see you choices. After buying mine I have seen several others that I might have preferred but most are chunky.

 

 

 

 

That reminds me that I have the Book Thief in my to-read pile as well. Hmm.

Dead Witch Walking did pick up. I'm about finishd with it and might even pick up the next in the series. I finished Season Of The Witch which was entertaining for sure but I'm not that impressed with the author. Lysa TerKeurst's Your Best Yes is great. I actually put it into play this morning when I said no to a call for a foster daughter. I've been waiting for a daughter for years. This one was being reunified with bio family in a month or two. I couldn't put my family through another good-bye that quickly. I can't do it to myself. So, we wait and pray that God will bring that daughter who is meant to be ours. I'll just be sad and eat too much chocolate today to get over having to say no even if it was the best choice for our family.

Just :grouphug: and sending positive thoughts and prayers.

[Angel]

Can I join the class? :lol: I'll bring some orange sponge cake and a selection of teas. Ds is advocating for chocolate as well...which I'm not averse to :D

 

Definitely!  I'll welcome you AND your cake, tea, and chocolate  :laugh:

[Angel]

Sorry I posted before I refreshed  :rolleyes:

 

Have you all read Love that Dog by Sharon Creech?  It is a novel told through a series of free verse poems, poems that a boy writes in response to his poetry lessons at school.  It is sad -- sensitive animal lovers beware -- but really beautiful.  AND, to me at least, it is a great introduction to reading poetry because the formal, often intimidating construct of poetry disappears as you get immersed in the story.  

 

I can't do it then.  I actually told the other moms that we absolutely couldn't do animal books and that I was totally inflexible about it.  :D

 

The version I have is The Narrated Bible in Chronological Order by F.Lagard Smith. It was an impulse buy when placing a CBD order a few years ago. I wasn't even thinking about versions just what it could do for my homeschool program, obviously I hadn't known a chronological format existed. I just pulled it off the shelf this afternoon and discovered that I could just do a section a day with this bible. It has marks to divide a years reading and commentary within. It is very readable just not portable. I did enjoy it but too heavy for reading in bed. I looked on amazon and they do have a King James version but I would recommend a trip to a Christian Bookstore to physically see you choices. After buying mine I have seen several others that I might have preferred but most are chunky.
 

 

Thanks!  I'll have to check this out.  I'm one of those crazy, anal King James only people  :p I have a study Bible or two in another version but they rarely get used.  

[Pam in CT]

re Cloud Atlas and reincarnation 

Pam, I think you have an interesting comment re: the re-use of the actors to portray the main characters in the stories. Yes, I agree, maybe that makes too strong a statement re: reincarnation (which I didn't get from the book). When reading, I don't remember ever thinking that the characters were reincarnations of earlier characters, just that there was some shared spark between humans of different time periods. I didn't really think about it that way when watching the movie (probably because I had already read the book), just thought it was quite a brilliant & refreshing move on the part of the movie-makers & the make-up people.
 

 

Yes, the sense I have from the book is that the repairing-the-world work is not yet completed (and that the opportunities to do so are rare but repeating, like a... er... comet), but not that particular souls return in some capacity to try again.  

 

Whereas the movie to me implied a more individual connection to the task left undone and/or something like kharma.  Not necessarily bad, but different. 

[Kareni]

Yesterday I read a fun contemporary romance. 

Neanderthal Seeks Human: A Smart Romance by Penny Reid

 

"There are three things you need to know about Janie Morris: 1) She is incapable of engaging in a conversation without volunteering TMTI (Too Much Trivial Information), especially when she is unnerved, 2) No one unnerves her more than Quinn Sullivan, and 3) She doesn't know how to knit.

After losing her boyfriend, apartment, and job in the same day, Janie Morris can't help wondering what new torment fate has in store. To her utter mortification, Quinn Sullivan- aka Sir McHotpants- witnesses it all then keeps turning up like a pair of shoes you lust after but can't afford. The last thing she expects is for Quinn- the focus of her slightly, albeit harmless, stalkerish tendencies- to make her an offer she can't refuse."

 

 

The main female character is a very intelligent woman, and that's a pleasure to see in a romance.  She is also someone who can be oblivious to the obvious.  She reminds me a bit of the male lead in The Rosie Project: A Novel.  I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by the author.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Stacia]

Interesting. Looks like James Franco bought the movie rights to the book Zeroville a few years ago & is getting ready to start filming. I read Zeroville a few years ago & loved it.

 

http://www.europaeditions.com/book.php?Id=44

http://badassdigest.com/2014/09/03/james-franco-is-about-to-shoot-zeroville/

http://letterboxd.com/ch_williamson/list/films-referenced-in-steve-ericksons-zeroville/

[shukriyya]

NoseinaBook, a gentle breath your way today.

 

Bible lovers, do you know this one, Holy Bible / From the Ancient Eastern Text :: Translation from the Aramaic Peshitta? It's Lamsa's translation. I like it and use it from time to time but I have yet to find one that feels complete to me. And the sense that perhaps the completing happens within.

[Heather in Neverland]

Started reading:

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg Mckeown

 

Still reading:

Crazy Busy: A Mercifully Short Book About a Really Big Problem by Kevin DeYoung

 

Finished reading:

1. The Curiosity by Stephen Kiernan (AVERAGE)

2. The Last Time I Saw Paris by Lynn Sheene (GOOD)

3. Unwind by Neal Shusterman (EXCELLENT)

4. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty (EXCELLENT)

5. The Rage Against God: How Atheism Led Me to Faith by Peter Hitchens (AMAZING)

6. Champion by Marie Lu (PRETTY GOOD)

7. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink (INCREDIBLE)

8. Cultivating Christian Character by Michael Zigarelli (HO-HUM)

9. Detroit: An American Autopsy by Charlie LeDuff (um...WOW. So amazing and sad)

10. Pressure Points: Twelve Global Issues Shaping the Face of the Church by JD Payne (SO-SO)

11. The Happiness Project: Or Why I spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun. by Gretchen Rubin (GOOD)

12. Reading and Writing Across Content Areas by Roberta Sejnost (SO-SO)

13. Winter of the World by Ken Follet (PRETTY GOOD)

14. The School Revolution: A New Answer for our Broken Education System by Ron Paul (GREAT)

15. Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen (LOVED IT)

16. Beyond the Hole in the Wall: Discover the Power of Self-Organized Learning by Sugata Mitra (GOOD)

17. Can Computers Keep Secrets? - How a Six-Year-Old's Curiosity Could Change the World by Tom Barrett (GOOD)

18. You Are Not So Smart: Why You Have Too Many Friends on Facebook, Why Your Memory Is Mostly Fiction, and 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself by David McRaney (GOOD)

19. Hollow City by Ransom Riggs (OK)

20. Follow Me by David Platt (GOOD)

21. The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking by Oliver Burkeman (SO-SO)

22. Falls the Shadow by Sharon Kay Penman (OK)

23. A Neglected Grace: Family Worship in the Christian Home by Jason Helopoulos (GOOD)

24. The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan (DEPRESSING)

25. No Place Like Oz by Danielle Paige (SO-SO)

26. 84 Charing Cross Road by Helen Hanff (DELIGHTFUL)

27. The Light Between Oceans by ML Stedman (WORST ENDING EVER)

28. Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor (SO-SO)

29. Mere Christianity by CS Lewis (BRILLIANT)

30. The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker (WONDERFUL)

31. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell (CAN'T-PUT-IT-DOWN-READ-IT-ALL-IN-ONE-SITTING BOOK)

32. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn (SUPER CREEPY BUT REALLY GOOD)

33. A House in the Sky by Amanda Lindhout (WONDERFUL)

34. The Hypnotist's Love Story by Liane Moriarty (PRETTY GOOD)

35. The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez (HEART-BREAKING)

36. One Last Thing Before I Go by Jonathan Tropper (REALLY, REALLY GOOD)

37. The Glory of Heaven by John MacArthur (INTERESTING)

38. Big, Little Lies by Liane Moriarty (AWESOME)

[Onceuponatime]

A GuideFor the Perplexed has sucked me in. It is hard to use the word enjoy about books that explore suffering and existential thought. What do you say? I ______ this book.

 

I don't know why I can read something like this but not care for those dead Russian dudes. Maybe it is because in spite of what is happening, there still exists positive thoughts and even hope in a seemingly hopeless situation. Humanity is definitely broken but not totally depraved. However, I find that I still need to set the book aside from time to time.

 

I'm tickled pink that I read The Sisters of Sinai two years ago. It helped me be able to get right into the story.

[Stacia]

I read Jonathan Tropper's This is Where I Leave You at the beginning of the year & liked it. I knew it was being made into a movie with Tina Fey & Jason Bateman. Looks like it's set to show at the Toronto Film Festival. Figured I'd mention the book/film in case anyone is interested in one or both...

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/13/books/13maslin.html?_r=0

 

[Angel]

After almost 5 weeks, I have finally managed to finish some books!  Alas, Little Women is not one of them.  I'm still working on that one but I'll get there.

 

Yesterday I finished Famous Men of the Middle Ages with Aly.  We've been working on that for a year now, going through it as we read Mystery of History Volume 2.  I thought it was a nice addition to our history study.  Often it fleshed out our lesson just a bit more.  It also provided good discussion when the stories were slightly different.  We also finished Mystery of History yesterday, so we are officially done with the Middle Ages.  Hmm, do I count that as a book finished?!  

 

Yesterday I also finished The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli.  Aly finished it two days ahead of me.  This was a reread for me, but one I enjoyed.  I loved the lessons learned by young Robin in this book.  It's just a great example for kids.  I was pleased, too, that it was an exact fit for the history we were reading as we finished up the Middle Ages.  I'm usually not so great at timing those historical fiction reads!  It really gave a great feel for the time period without adding drudgery to the story.  Aly enjoyed it as well, however she is my child, *spoiler ahead* she wanted to see Robin able to walk without his crutches.  She thought that would have been the perfect ending :)  I would categorize this as a don't miss book for the Middle Ages.

 

That brings me to 38 for the year.  Whew!  I thought that I was going to get to the end of this week and then be behind.  I liked my cushion!  I had to give up on Monuments Men for the time being.  It just wasn't the right time for me to be reading non-fiction.  I hope to pick it up again in the future!  

 

*1 – The Women of Christmas by Liz Curtis Higgs (Isarel)

*2 – Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans (USA)

*3 – The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis (Dusty, Narnia,)

*4 – Michael Vey:  The Rise of the Elgen by Richard Paul Evans (USA/Peru)

*5 – Soulless by Gail Carriger (England, BaW rec)

*6 – Speaking from Among the Bones by Alan Bradley (England)

*7 – A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters (12^th Century, England/Wales,BaW rec)

*8 – Michael Vey: Battle of the Ampere by Richard Paul Evans (Peru)

*9 - Divergent by Veronica Roth (USA)

*10 - Anna of Byzantium by Tracy Barrett (Turkey, 11th/12th Century, Dusty Book, re-read)

*11 – Austenland by Shannon Hale (England, Dusty Book)

*12 – The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis (Narnia)

*13 – Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger (England, BaW rec)

*14 – The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis (Narnia)

*15 – Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury (England)

*16 – Imprudent Lady by Joan Smith (England, BaW rec)

*17 – Beorn the Proud by Madeleine Polland (Denmark, 9^th Century, re-read)

*18 – The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan (audiobook) (USA/Italy)

*19 – The Dead in their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley (England)

*20 – The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis (Narnia)

*21 – The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen (USA, dusty book)

*22 – The Mysterious Marquis by Eileen Ainsworth Ramsay (England/Scotland, dusty book)

*23 – Agenda 21 by Harriet Parke and Glen Beck (USA)

*24 – Persuasion by Jane Austen  (audiobook, England, re-read)

*25 – The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer (England, dusty book)

*26 – The Convenient Marriage by Georgette Heyer (England)

*27 – Mr. Knightley’s Diary by Amanda Grange (England, dusty book)

*28 - Classics Illustrated Macbeth (Graphic Novel) by Shakespeare (Scotland)

*29 - Inferno by Dante (14th Century, classic, BaW read along)

*30 - Aunt Dimity: Vampire Hunter by Nancy Atherton (England, dusty book, BaW rec)

*31 - The Heiress of Winterwood by Sarah E. Ladd (England)

*32 - Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton (Costa Rica, dusty book, re-read)

*33 - The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett (Scotland, audiobook, BaW rec)

*34 - The Lost Sisterhood by Anne Fortier (Algeria/Greece/Turkey/England/Crete/Finland)

*35 – Strange Capers by Joan Smith (England)

*36 – Lady of Devices by Shelley Adina (England, 19^th Century)

*37 – Famous Men of the Middle Ages by Rob Shearer

*38 – The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli (England, 14^th Century, re-read)

 

[ladydusk]

I finished What Angels Fear by CS Harris, the first St Cyr book.  I enjoyed it a lot.  I'm so glad I came back to the thread while you were all still reading the books :)

[shukriyya]

I've spent the early morning hours with Emily Dickinson. She 'says' in 'Beyond the Myth'... 'were I a piece of fabric, home would be the thread that made me strong. It was less a shelter from the world, than a threshold to the chartless land that lies within me' . I thought that was rather a poetic and restrained way of alluding to and enlarging upon the possibilities as to the what and how of her cloistered life. I very much enjoy it when a writer is willing to so generously dive into the life of another using their inspiration, imagination and own inner mandala as guide. We're not only getting a different view on the subject but we're also being given some glimpse into the artistic process of the author.

[TeacherZee]

I finished the 8th book in the Her Royal Spyness series. Since that is the last book so far I bought the first Masie Dobbs book per recommendations from here. So far so good.

[Robin M]

Is that the blog you were talking about Robin? The One Year Bible and blog are working through Ecclesiastes and you had mentioned Job.

 

Yes, finishing up Ecclesiastes today and starting Song of Solomon tomorrow.  Mike of one year bible blog sends an daily email with the day's commentary and reading and links to bible gateway with all the readings for the day.

[Stacia]

Just read another Archipelago book: Translation is a Love Affair by Jacques Poulin.

 

That was completely charming & utterly nice. A tiny gem of loveliness.

 

"A quietly affecting modern fairy tale told with humor and warmth, Translation is a Love Affair is a slender novel of immense humanity. A Quebecois novelist with a bad back and his vivacious young translator discover a stray cat with an SOS attached to its collar. They embark upon a search for its owner, and when they discover a young girl with bandaged wrists, they are drawn into a mystery they don’t dare neglect. The world Poulin creates is haunted by dark memories, isolation, and tragedy, yet it is a world in which language — and love — are the most immediate and vital forces, where one human being hearing a cry of distress of another is compelled to shed one’s own inhibitions to respond."

 

(Note to Angel -- There are quite a few animals in this story & every single interaction with them is nice & absolutely nothing bad happens to any of them, so this is an animal-thumbs-up book, probably one of the few I've ever read. And, Jane, believe it or not, finally I've read a book translated from French that I actually adored! Of course, it was Québécois French, but still...!)

[Jane in NC]

 And, Jane, believe it or not, finally I've read a book translated from French that I actually adored! Of course, it was Québécois French, but still...!)

 

You read my mind!  I was chuckling as I read your review.

 

[NoseInABook]

Totally early for this but... favorite scary books? Bring on the horror stories! I'm in a Halloween-y mood already and am looking for some good reads. Anyone, anyone?

[Onceuponatime]

My book is frustrating me and making me mad, but I have to know what happens. I don't see how this could end well.

[Onceuponatime]

Totally early for this but... favorite scary books? Bring on the horror stories! I'm in a Halloween-y mood already and am looking for some good reads. Anyone, anyone?

I don't usually do scary books, but I would recommend The Historian, The Dante Club, and The Graveyard Book (which you may already have read.)

[Robin M]

Totally early for this but... favorite scary books? Bring on the horror stories! I'm in a Halloween-y mood already and am looking for some good reads. Anyone, anyone?

Dean koontz Odd Thomas series or Stephen King Duma Key. Scary creepy good. Second The Historian.

[mamaraby]

Finally made it to the library and am reading "Band of Brothers" and the third Bridget Jones.

[Violet Crown]

Interesting discovery in my Life of Johnson reading. Johnson has a famous phrase, "When a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully." I've always encountered this quip in a context in which it meant something like "Imminent disaster convinces one to focus on the problem at hand." Not infrequently I've seen it used in support of the death penalty, as if it meant "Imminent execution leads more certainly to repentance."

 

But Johnson didn't mean it in either of these senses. He had participated in a failed effort to obtain a pardon for a Rev. Dodd, sentenced to hang for a one-time offense of forgery, and had written several statements for Dodd to use. Knowing their effectiveness depended on a general belief that they were Dodd's words, but unwilling to lie to a direct question from someone who thought Dodd lacked the talent to compose so well, he responded with the famous quote as an evasion.

[Stacia]

Totally early for this but... favorite scary books? Bring on the horror stories! I'm in a Halloween-y mood already and am looking for some good reads. Anyone, anyone?

   

I don't usually do scary books, but I would recommend The Historian, The Dante Club, and The Graveyard Book (which you may already have read.)

Definitely second all of Onceuponatime's recommendations!

 

Other ideas:

Dracula (of course)

John Dies at the End by David Wong (horror + funny, really loved this one & think you might like the humor too)

Strange Bodies by Marcel Theroux (the one Jenn brought to our attention; reminds me a bit of Frankenstein)

The Stress of Her Regard by Tim Powers

World War Z by Max Brooks

most anything by Edgar Allan Poe or H.P. Lovecraft

 

I also have a page on Goodreads of ideas for spooky October reading based on recommendations from here & from friends on Goodreads; I haven't yet read any that are on this list:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3917029-stacia?shelf=ideas-for-spooky-october-reading

[mumto2]

Totally early for this but... favorite scary books? Bring on the horror stories! I'm in a Halloween-y mood already and am looking for some good reads. Anyone, anyone?

Last year I reread Dracula before rereading The Historian. Highly recommend that combination. The Historian is a great book, one of my all time favorites. Dracula before the reading of it made it even better.

[mumto2]

 

Definitely second all of Onceuponatime's recommendations!

 

Other ideas:

Dracula (of course)

John Dies at the End by David Wong (horror + funny, really loved this one & think you might like the humor too)

Strange Bodies by Marcel Theroux (the one Jenn brought to our attention; reminds me a bit of Frankenstein)

The Stress of Her Regard by Tim Powers

World War Z by Max Brooks

most anything by Edgar Allan Poe or H.P. Lovecraft

 

I also have a page on Goodreads of ideas for spooky October reading based on recommendations from here & from friends on Goodreads; I haven't yet read any that are on this list:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3917029-stacia?shelf=ideas-for-spooky-october-reading

Fun list, I plan to spend some more time with it. So far We have always lived in a Castle has been requested. :)

[Guest]

I finished Great Expectations. I will allow myself to return to this thread now. ;)

 

 

My husband thought that some of you might be interested in the book he just finished, The Name of the Wind.  It is the first in The Kingkiller Chronicle series by Patrick Rothfuss, a fantasy chunkster that won several awards and would probably captivate the Tolkien fans. Jenn mentioned the author in an earlier thread.

 

One of my absolute favorite books!

 

Totally early for this but... favorite scary books? Bring on the horror stories! I'm in a Halloween-y mood already and am looking for some good reads. Anyone, anyone?

 

I was just looking over books and in the mood for this, too, although I'm not into super scary books. I want to read Dracula, Frankenstein, and some Sherlock Holmes. I haven't read Dracula or Frankenstein before. (I know!) I may attempt Stephen King's The Talisman again, but I have tried reading it twice before without success.

 

Last year I reread Dracula before rereading The Historian. Highly recommend that combination. The Historian is a great book, one of my all time favorites. Dracula before the reading of it made it even better.

 

I really wish I had read Dracula prior to The Historian.

[TeacherZee]

Oooooh are we doing scary book recommendations?! Perfect. Please ladies point me to some good scary short stories for my seniors. If they are in the public domain all the better (public school end of year no money :unsure: )

[Onceuponatime]

About spooky books:  I haven't read it yet, but this one has been on my list of intriguing possibilities for a while- http://www.amazon.com/Deathless-Catherynne-M-Valente/dp/0765326310/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409998895&sr=1-1&keywords=deathless

[shukriyya]

I finished 'Radical Acceptance' and will be reading the author's next book, 'True Refuge'. She writes with clarity and immediacy. I'm enjoying 'Emily Dickinson: Beyond the Myth'. Have started Mary Stewart's, The Ivy Tree, and it's looking to be one of those wonderfully intricate mysteries with loop backs and serendipitous encounters. And this morning Edwige Danticat's, 'Claire of the Sea' came in. Rather a lot of books to juggle but grateful for the interest and engagement after 'the drought' :D

[mumto2]

About spooky books: I haven't read it yet, but this one has been on my list of intriguing possibilities for a while- http://www.amazon.com/Deathless-Catherynne-M-Valente/dp/0765326310/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409998895&sr=1-1&keywords=deathless

 

Looking forward to hearing what you think of this. The description is very intriguing but not at my library....Did you read The Girl who Circumnavigated Fairyland? I think someone here did recently and the library has it. I think dd would probably like either since she loves myths and fairytLes. Wondering if it would be appropriate....

 

Oooooh are we doing scary book recommendations?! Perfect. Please ladies point me to some good scary short stories for my seniors. If they are in the public domain all the better (public school end of year no money :unsure: )

Dd took this https://www.coursera.org/course/fantasysf coursera course last fall. Most of the reading could be done in the public domain so it might be a good place to start. She really loved the Poe and has gone on to read more. If you want her favorites I can have her post them later.

 

Both my overdrive and hardcopy of Colorless Tsukura arrived this morning. I feel rather pressured to get started. So many books and not enough time....

 

Shukriyya, I have been meaning to tell you that I am doing a very slow reread of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. It really is a lovely descriptive visit to Savannah. I feel like I am there. I do think you would enjoy it.

[Stacia]

TeacherZee...

 

Poe stories:

http://poe.thefreelibrary.com

 

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (more a novella than a short story):

http://stevenson.thefreelibrary.com

 

H.P. Lovecraft:

http://cthulhuchick.com/free-complete-lovecraft-ebook-nook-kindle/

 

Not short stories, but the first five Fantomas books:

http://www.fantomas-lives.com/fanto3.htm#book1

 

Here's a great list:

http://www.blastr.com/2011/10/33_creepy_classic_horror.php

(I've read some on this list already & will be downloading others. This would be great for a study.)