Avidmom's 2016 ROOTS

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Avidmom's 2016 ROOTS

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1avidmom
Redigerat: dec 31, 2016, 10:50 am


2avanders
jan 8, 2016, 10:57 pm

Welcome back & Happy 2016 ROOTing!

3Tess_W
jan 8, 2016, 11:26 pm

Good luck with the roots!

4avidmom
jan 8, 2016, 11:51 pm

5connie53
jan 9, 2016, 3:18 am

Good to see you back!

6rabbitprincess
jan 9, 2016, 10:21 am

Welcome back and good luck!

7MissWatson
jan 9, 2016, 12:15 pm

Welcome back and good ROOTing!

8avidmom
jan 9, 2016, 2:52 pm

>5 connie53: >6 rabbitprincess:>>7 MissWatson: Thanks all!

There's no way I can resist checking out tons of e and physical books from the library (way too easy for me as I work next door to the library!) but I do plan on concentrating on reading more of my own books. I have 3 ROOTS going on now!

9avanders
jan 9, 2016, 11:27 pm

>8 avidmom: wow... I could not imagine if a library was right next door ....

10avidmom
jan 10, 2016, 1:16 pm

>9 avanders: It is a wonderful thing ... usually. :)

11avidmom
jan 10, 2016, 2:06 pm

I just finished my first book and first ROOT of 2016 this morning.



The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George

I didn't love this book like I thought I would. Maybe my expectations were too high or maybe I was expecting something different. I'm not sure. I've been trying to think what my problems are with this book and I think it's simply the fact that I just couldn't for the life of me find all the characters here believable or likeable. The character of Manon, the main character's long lost love that he's been pining away for for some 21 years, irritated me. (Reading her diaries proved the most painful for me.) The whole unread letter ploy struck me as odd too. (Just couldn't reconcile his "I miss her so much I quit living" and "I won't read her letter because I'm so hurt." with each other.) I think it made me see the main character of Jean Perdu as a coward. While I liked the idea of a book "apothecary" and a book barge and a trip down the Seine, so much of the plot seemed terribly contrived. The romance between Max and Victoria (how convenient!); the bizarre entrance of Samy into the story, to name a few

Some of the writing here is gorgeous, though, and very sweet. And that's the problem.... it's wonderful to read little lovely sweet melodramatic poetic passages, but they don't quit here. It was a bit much for me. But that's the part of me speaking that's very jaded. I was literally rolling my eyes a bit here and there.... between enjoying the lovely descriptions of the French countryside and food and the sometimes poetic descriptions of life and love. Then again, it would get to the point where it was just too much and I would the whole thing a bit nauseating.

I can see why so many people love this book. And I also can see why so many people don't. This book is for all the romantics and poets who are still out there among us.

I think I would rate this a solid 3.5 stars on a good day, when my outlook on life is rosier. And a wobbly 3 stars when I am in a more jaded frame of mind.

12Jackie_K
jan 10, 2016, 4:21 pm

>11 avidmom: congratulations on your first ROOT!

Earlier this week I read someone on the Category Challenge review this book, they were really really scathing (the review was wonderful, I laughed out loud). I wish I could remember who it was, so I could link to it here.

13avidmom
jan 10, 2016, 4:33 pm

>12 Jackie_K: Thank you! I'm pretty sure you are referring to Ridgewaygirl's review. I saw her review on her Club Read thread. :)

14Jackie_K
jan 10, 2016, 4:40 pm

>13 avidmom: Yes, that's the one! I thought it was hilarious (and won't be rushing to buy the book!).

15avidmom
jan 10, 2016, 10:13 pm

I sent The Little Paris Bookshop to my aunt as a Christmas present this year and she's loving it. :)

16avanders
jan 11, 2016, 12:03 pm

>10 avidmom: lol yes, usually... ;)

>11 avidmom: Oh that was on my wishlist! is. it is on my wishlist. Your review makes me hesitate.. I wouldn't generally describe myself as a romantic or a poet. ;) Maybe I'll just employ the library for that one...

17connie53
jan 11, 2016, 2:13 pm

>11 avidmom: >16 avanders: Bought it last year in November. So it's not a ROOT (yet). I think I'm a romantic of some sort, so I might like it.

18avidmom
jan 11, 2016, 3:25 pm

>16 avanders: >17 connie53: My aunt called me last night to tell me that she's "... loving every minute..." of The Little Paris Bookshop. I would not not recommend it, but I think you need to know what you're getting into.

19connie53
jan 11, 2016, 3:39 pm

Maybe it's age related!

20avidmom
jan 11, 2016, 5:56 pm

Haha! My aunt is going to be 81 in March. But she was a definite hippy back in the day, a hopeless romantic, and a poet. I think it's "lifeview" related, IMHO. I'll know what she really thinks when she finishes.

21lkernagh
jan 12, 2016, 9:48 am

Congrats on first ROOT pulled and good luck with your ROOTing!

22avanders
jan 12, 2016, 3:59 pm

>18 avidmom: lol thanks for the update ;)
>20 avidmom: aww... that description of your aunt alone almost makes me want to read the book!

23avidmom
jan 12, 2016, 8:03 pm

>21 lkernagh: Thank you!

>22 avanders: She is my favorite! She'll call (or write) and say how she never does anything now that she's older .... And then we talk about the book club(s), the writer's club, her card group, whatever latest movie she's seen at the local theatre and on and on. For her, this is slowing down!

24cyderry
jan 13, 2016, 9:50 am

>1 avidmom: would you be kind enough to copy your ticker to the ticker thread when you get a chance, please?

25avidmom
jan 13, 2016, 11:24 am

>24 cyderry: Thanks for reminding me! I had completely forgotten. done now :)

26avanders
jan 13, 2016, 12:02 pm

>23 avidmom: I hope I can relate when I'm her age! ;)

27avidmom
feb 3, 2016, 12:19 pm

My second root of the year. January turned out to be a rough month at the end. I had a big test to study for which just happened to be scheduled at the same time I came down with the flu. Yuck. So not much reading (well, not much fun reading) got done.... I finished this a while ago. Hopefully this month will be better ROOT wise. :)


Grace Revolution: Experience the Power to Live Above Defeat by Joseph Prince

This was a good read and I did come away thinking about things in a different way than before. I like Joseph Prince and his overall grace message so I wasn't expecting anything profound or earth shattering here (kind of heard it all before) but there were some new ideas in here that I found very interesting. I get rather tired of evangelical preachers (of the TV variety sort) who continually ply their audience with platitudes and feel-good messages but don't really back anything up Biblically. That's what I like about Prince, he goes a little deeper into the Biblical text than most. So I rather enjoyed this book when Prince focused on "teaching", and found myself getting a little annoyed with all the testimony after testimony. Nothing wrong with including people's personal stories, and, of course, is probably a necessary component of a book of this sort, but I did find them a little tiring after a while. Maybe there were just too many for me? Or maybe I just don't need convincing.

Understandably maybe not everybody's cup of tea, but this is the best book by Prince I've read so far.

A solid 4 stars from me.

*************************************************

I don't read too many Christian-ese books (maybe a scattered few throughout a year) but why can't the authors put something else on their book covers besides their pictures????

28avidmom
Redigerat: feb 12, 2016, 1:45 pm

"The kindred points of heaven and home," continued Mrs. Arbuthnot, who was used to finishing her sentences. "Heaven is in our home."

"It isn't," said Mrs. Wilkins, again surprisingly.

Mrs. Arbuthnot was taken aback. Then she said gently, "Oh, but it is. It is there if we choose, if we make it."

"I do choose, and I do make it, and it isn't," said Mrs. Wilkins.




One day Mrs. Wilkins, due to the misery of her loveless marriage and the un-lovely weather in London, is drawn to an advertisement to let a castle in Italy that promises a lot of sunshine and wisteria. She accosts the equally miserable and pious Mrs. Arbuthnot and convinces her to share the expenses and escape from their lives for one glorious month. They decide to advertise for two other women to come along and share expenses and meet the curmudgeonly and oh-so-proper Mrs. Fisher and the very beautiful Lady Caroline. The month in Italy proves very healing and surprisingly, romantic.

Last year I read von Arnim's In The Mountains and loved it. Books written like this usually bore me to pieces, but for some reason, Elizabeth von Arnim manages to pull it off, and very, very well. She writes mostly about the inner thoughts of her characters and while not much is going on externally there is very much happening in the inner lives of all of her characters. There is an undercurrent in her writing, judging by the two books I have read by her so far, of the Divine healing power of nature, "In the warmth and light of what she was looking at, of what to her was a manifestation, and entirely new side of God, how could one be discomposed?" and a very dry sense of humour. "Ought they to pay him? Not, they thought, if they were going to be robbed and perhaps murdered. Surely on such an occasion one did not pay."

My only complaint of the book is that it does seem to end rather abruptly.

Also, I think it should come with a warning. I have a terrible urge to pack up everything and go on vacation, preferably Italy. Short of that I'm finding it very hard to not go and spend every last penny I have on flowers.

A slow moving book like this is probably not everyone's cup of tea, but for those who can handle the slow-to-a-crawl pace, it is a lovely vicarious vacation and a great lighter read when your soul longs for a "gentle read."

I would give it a solid four stars.

29Tess_W
feb 14, 2016, 8:51 am

>28 avidmom: sounds like a BB to me!

30avidmom
mar 6, 2016, 2:31 pm



Have Personality Disorder, Will Rule Russia by Jennifer Eremeeva

I really enjoyed this book, a (free one for Kindle). It is not by any means a detailed history of Russia/the Soviet Union but for someone like me who started out with probably knowledge of the history of Russia that was maybe in the negative numbers at worst, at zero at least, it was a great starting off point. American-born Eremeeva, an ex-pat living and working in Russia, does a decent job of covering all the major events in the timeline of Russia/the Soviet Union from centuries and Tsars past to the Ukrainian/Crimean crisis and the president day macho Pres. Putin.

My interest in Russia was sparked by finally finding a copy of The Master and Margarita, at our local bookstore a few weeks ago. I have a feeling that book won't make too much sense unless I have some kind of understanding of what Bulgakov is actually writing about. I coupled my reading with some interesting documentaries found on youtube:

"Tsars and Revolutions" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEmUIfF2uAk
"Stalin: Inside the Terror"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIzApqzlP3Q

Eremeeva also has a list of recommended reading on the subject at the back of her book.

31Tess_W
Redigerat: mar 6, 2016, 4:07 pm

>30 avidmom: WWII was my major while earning my Master's degree, and Russian history was my minor. This sounds right up my alley. I also have The master and the Margarita on my TBR list. If you are looking for a great "I escaped from a Siberian gulag" book, pick up The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom by Slavomir Rawicz. It may or my not be true (historians debate), but even with the debate they do admit he must have known somebody who told stories about it. The Gulag Archipelago is very nearing the top shelf to read, also.

32avidmom
mar 6, 2016, 2:49 pm

>31 Tess_W: Thanks for that! I'm a bit of a history fanatic so now I've found my newest obsession...

By the way, there is an upcoming group read of TM&M here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/219712 that you may be interested in.

33Jackie_K
mar 6, 2016, 3:05 pm

>30 avidmom: Ooh thank you - I was thinking that would be a BB, but as you mentioned the free download I just checked on the kobo website (I have a Kobo Glo rather than a kindle) and it is free there too, so I just downloaded it. I have worked and researched in eastern Europe, and taught students eastern European history/politics (although I haven't ever been to Russia), so do know the basics, but I'm always happy for more reading material, it's such a fascinating region.

34avidmom
mar 6, 2016, 6:45 pm

>33 Jackie_K: It sure is fascinating and I'm afraid I've fallen down the rabbit hole.....

I think Eremeeva's book is a great intro. to the subject.

35avanders
mar 7, 2016, 12:25 pm

>30 avidmom: so. interesting.

>31 Tess_W: I really love that book. (Master & Margarita) :)

36avidmom
mar 8, 2016, 1:07 am

>35 avanders: It certainly has an amazing history! I thought her title was a little tongue in cheek, but then after you start reading about the leaders of Russia/USSR you see her point!

37avanders
mar 8, 2016, 2:43 pm

>36 avidmom: lol I bet ;) I got it, btw. BB, free download. :)

38avidmom
mar 20, 2016, 6:24 pm

>37 avanders: Hope you like it!

39avidmom
Redigerat: mar 20, 2016, 6:29 pm



Double Indemnity by James Cain

I was really impressed by this story. Huff is an insurance agent who goes out for a routine insurance call and falls hard for the lady of the house (later to be known as the "House of Death"). Once they figure out that their feelings for each other are mutual (which doesn't take that long at all), they go about setting up her husband's accident insurance policy and his subsequent murder in such a way that they can collect on the "double indemnity" clause and run away together. For such a short little story, 118 pages, a lot of little twists and turns take place. It is classic crime noir of the late 30s/40s era that has a delicious and slightly creepy ending. I ended up liking it much more than I thought I would.

My son had to read this for his college English class. I can see why.

*****************************************



"Double Indemnity" starring Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck and Edward G. Robinson

I found this on TCM long before I read the book (which I liked better than the film adaptation). We watched it together on one of our "family movie nights" and cracked up through the whole thing because of the dialogue that relied heavily on the word "baby" and this particular line "They know more tricks than a carload of monkeys." It was definitely a dated movie, but a good one nonetheless. The movie is, alas, different than the book. Things wrap up rather nicely and conveniently and there really is no creepy ending as in the book, but maybe a more moral one perhaps (?) What I really loved about it was seeing Fred MacMurray who usually is known for playing the squeaky clean, somewhat goofy character, transform into this conniving, scheming, selfish dark one with just enough of a conscience to make you like him. MacMurray, who had reservations about taking the role, said it was one of his favorite roles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKdcYnlkhx8 (A little scene)

TCM comments:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpcKCvBB6O8

40Tess_W
mar 20, 2016, 8:33 pm

A great review! I remember seeing this maybe 40 years ago. I'm now going to put the book on my TBR list (drats!).

41rabbitprincess
mar 20, 2016, 8:46 pm

>39 avidmom: I love Double Indemnity and am glad you liked it too! It was extremely hard to put down (I couldn't quite finish it over a lunch hour, so spent part of my afternoon reading it at work...).

42avanders
mar 21, 2016, 1:36 pm

>39 avidmom: BB & DVD-B! ;)

43avidmom
mar 21, 2016, 4:12 pm

>40 Tess_W: Thank you. My son liked the movie better; I liked the book better.

>41 rabbitprincess: I was glad to have it last week as the high school I work at was on lockdown due to some police activity in the neighborhood. Everybody was stuck there way past the time we should have been home. I got half way through the book though. :)

>42 avanders: Oh my. A double whammie!!!! HA

44avidmom
Redigerat: maj 17, 2016, 7:07 pm

"Afterward, when, frankly speaking, it was already too late, various agencies filed reports describing this man. If one compares them, one cannot help but be astonished. For example, one says that he was short, had gold teeth, and was lame in his right foot. Another says that he was hugely tall, had platinum crowns and was lame in his left foot. Yet a third notes laconically that he had no distinguishing characteristics whatsoever.

We should add that all of the reports were worthless."
****************************************

"And the devil doesn't exist either?"


The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

One day the devil (Professor Woland) and his companions come to Moscow, put on a show and during their stay in Moscow wreak all kinds of havoc on the Moscovites. Knowing that the Moscovites, as a rule, are atheists who believe neither in God or in the devil himself, the devil and his entourage have a field day in Moscow and in Apartment 50, their base of operations. Only Margarita, an unhappily married woman who has fallen completely in love with The Master, an author whose novel on Pontius Pilate has earned him only scorn and ridicule from critics, benefit from Woland's deviltry.

I've been wanting to read this book for a long time, but was a bit intimidated by it since my knowledge of Russian/Soviet history is very weak. I was surprised to find that it was an enjoyable and immensely entertaining read on its own, without having to worry about the underlying meaning of everything. Bulgakov has a wicked sense of humor and has his characters saying so many "What the devil?!" and so on throughout the book. And the things that happen are truly wild and weird. TM&M may be a fine example of magical realism.... heavy on the magic. (Magic cream, talking/vodka drinking cats, witches on broomsticks!)

Bulgakov couldn't publish the book in the 30s, and there is a long and arduous journey from the writing of The Master and Margarita until it actually sees the full light of day. TM&M was Bulgakov's vehicle for satirizing the Soviet Stalin machine. And this is where things got sticky for me. I wanted to understand every little aspect of Soviet era life Bulgakov was pointing fingers at, but with my limited knowledge of that era I struggled a bit. Fortunately, the version I have, the Vintage International translated by Burgin and O'Connor had a commentary on every chapter at the back of the book which turned out to be most helpful at times.... and sometimes not. For instance in chapter 7 Bulgakov writes "... people started disappearing..." which at the time Bulgakov was writing, was a reference to real life events. People were disappearing. As pointed out in the commentary "... Arrests became much more widespread among the people he knew, or knew of, ..... Bulgakov's friends were not spared, and it was common to have a suitcase packed in advance in case of a knock on the door in the middle of the night. ..." Can you imagine?! So there were times that the commentary was quite helpful. There were occasions, though, when a reference would be made to something or someone I was not familiar with and I would have to go hunting up the information on my own.

This is not a book to be read once and put away. I think you could spend a whole lifetime reading, and re-reading this one and come up with some new little insight every time.

I like this review of the book: http://magic-realism-books.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-master-and-margarita-by-mikh....

And this most cool musical fact! http://www.masterandmargarita.eu/en/05media/stones.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkXIYgsvO0c

45Tess_W
maj 19, 2016, 3:02 am

>44 avidmom: That is on my TBR pile. I hope to get to it this summer!

46Jackie_K
maj 19, 2016, 8:00 am

>44 avidmom: It's one of the few books my husband owns that I actually want to read (we have VERY different tastes in books!).

47avidmom
maj 19, 2016, 7:59 pm

>45 Tess_W: & 46 It's definitely worth it!

48avanders
maj 20, 2016, 10:30 am

>44 avidmom: I looooooved that book. It is one of my all-time favorites. Glad you enjoyed it!
Very cool musical fact :)

49avidmom
maj 22, 2016, 10:53 pm

... You didn't know him. If you'd known him, you'd know what I mean. It's not too bad when the sun's out, but the sun only comes out when it feels like coming out."


The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
(I love this cover!)

Kicked out of another fancy prep school again, Holden Caufield decides to get himself back to New York City where he's from but avoids going home. The whole book is a stream of consciousness narrative from Caufield who is in the middle of an existential crisis due to the fact that the world - as he sees it - is full of nothing but phonies and perverts. It depresses the hell out of him. He depressed the hell out of me. But he also made me laugh in spots, because, well, the kid's not wrong, IMHO "... I like Jesus and all, but I don't care too much for the other stuff in the Bible. Take the Disciples, for instance. They annoy the hell out of me, if you want to know the truth. They were all right after Jesus was dead and all, but while He was alive, they were about as much use to him as a hole in the head. All they did was keep letting Him down. I like almost anybody in the Bible better than the Disciples."

It is a short book that only spans a few days in Caulfield's life. I can see why this is considered a classic and why it was also so quickly banned in schools. I would never condone a ban of any book, but the general malaise of Caulfield's mental musings and his very grown up observations and the subjects touched upon make The Catcher in the Rye a sometimes uncomfortable read.

It was worth the time spent reading it and I would recommend it with the caveat that you have plans for something cheery and fun when you finish this one to save you from sliding into an existential crisis of your own. (Maybe a nice hot fudge sundae or something?)

I also couldn't help thinking of the famous murderers associated with this particular book. http://www.allthingscrimeblog.com/2014/12/10/killers-and-the-catcher-in-the-rye-...

And I love this guy's review (Thug Notes is so much fun!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_UIdPx4-uU

50avidmom
maj 22, 2016, 10:54 pm

>48 avanders: It's definitely going to be read again!

51avanders
maj 23, 2016, 10:27 am

>49 avidmom: I read that just a few years ago and loved it... I was very pleasantly surprised! But you're right, it's definitely not cheery & fun!
lol - good idea to pre-plan for a hot fudge sundae when you're finished ;)

52avidmom
maj 23, 2016, 5:17 pm

>51 avanders: I liked it too and it really wasn't what I expected.
(I've yet to get to that hot fudge sundae.... LOL.)

53connie53
maj 30, 2016, 10:07 am

Just passing by and waving!

54avidmom
jun 3, 2016, 6:41 pm

"The silencing of Lincoln’s faith by the secular and the exaggerating of Lincoln’s faith by the religious have given us a less accurate and a less engaging Lincoln. We are poorer for the distortions."


Lincoln's Battle With God by Stephen Mansfield

In one of the rare telephone conversations between me and my very well-read ex-English teacher aunt, she happened to mention this book. And then, wouldn't you know it? It was on sale in the Kindle store for $1.99 .... so how could I not?

There seems to be a blanket assumption on the part of most of us Americans that Abraham Lincoln was just born a Christian, remained a Christian and died a Christian. Nothing could be further from the truth. While it is true that he was born into a very Christian family, Thomas and Nancy Lincoln being referred to as "Hard Shell Baptists", he went on quite a spiritual path of his own when he was a young man first arriving in New Salem, Illinois. Lincoln's boyhood had been marked with the early death of his beloved mother Nancy when he was 9 and a very stern and (possibly) abusive father. While all this was going on at home, Lincoln was exposed to the beginnings of what would be referred to later on through the years as "Big Tent Revivals" nearly next door to his home in Kentucky on the Cumberland Trail. At first, these were pure revivals with only the savings of souls as the goal, but quickly devolved into part religious fervor; part entertainment for the masses and part glorious opportunities for snake oil salesmen who came to take advantage of the faithful and/or gullible country folk. There was quite a bit of hell fire and brimstone coming from the pulpit and Lincoln wasn't having any of it. He wasn't a fan of legalism; he didn't like the idea of hell for anybody, and he certainly didn't like the attitude of the self-righteous (allegedly) predestined for heaven souls who gloated over their predestined for hell brethren. Then there was the fighting between the Christian denominations - fighting that had become so feverish that it wasn't uncommon for the Methodist to interrupt a Baptist service and vice versa. Add to this Lincoln's proneness to melancholy (a trait inherited from his mother); the death of his mother and a much beloved older sister with his father's coldness towards him, it's no wonder then that by the time he is on his own in Illinois, Lincoln who "... had known only the religion of the haughty, self-assured hyper-Calvinist or the exuberant camp meeting extremes. He had found both wanting. Paine and Volney—along with Burns and Gibbon before them—pointed a way out of the confusion of perpetual skepticism into a clear and always rational faith: the existence of God, love of mankind, the cathedral of the mind. This was what they gave Lincoln, and he loved them for it." As a matter of fact, Lincoln's departure from the traditional Christian faith was such that he was nicknamed the "Infidel" by some of the locals. He even (allegedly, according to one source close to him) "decided to write a booklet arguing his newfound ideas. This became known in memory as his “little book on Infidelity,” the one in which he attacked the divinity of Christ and the inspiration of the Bible." (The friend burned the book knowing that it would have been the death blow to Lincoln's political career if it got out.)

So how do we get from that Lincoln to the one who moments before his death is confiding to his wife Mary Todd Lincoln (according to Mary herself), that "We will visit the Holy Land and see those places hallowed by the footsteps of the Savior ..... There is no place I so much desire to see as Jerusalem." According to Mansfield, Lincoln's journey was a long, torturous process. Lincoln's life was marked by tragedy and melancholy but he was also well read and self-educated and it was, according to the author, one particular book and one very intellectual clergyman who turns out to be the turning point in Lincoln's spiritual journey. It seems that Lincoln didn't come to his faith by faith alone but by a very studious and measured study of it. There doesn't seem to be any eleventh hour prayer or lightning bolt from the sky. And even then, like the author points out, we can never really know for sure but the evidence certainly does point to the fact that the young Lincoln of New Salem in the early 1830s is a much different Lincoln that we see leading the nation through the Civil War who refers to the "... better angels of our nature" in his first inaugural speech and quotes the New Testament in his second inaugural speech.

It is a fascinating look into one aspect of Lincoln's character - but I think possibly one of his most important - that not only shaped him personally as the years went on but the decisions he made later that affected so many. I like this clay-footed struggling with God Lincoln so much better than the alternative.

"... He always surprises, always resists confinement to the forms and definitions imposed upon him. He lived in an age still foreign to us. He was a complicated soul, an innovative mind, and an oppressed spirit. He was raw and earthy and poetic. He could be ambitious and enraged and cold. He rose from a spare cabin to the White House, and did so in an age of titanic conflict, of near incomprehensible change. We can strive to know what we may of Lincoln. We can hope to understand. Yet never can we confine him; never can we seek to make him conform."



(I also listened to a small sample of this on audio, read by the author and was not disappointed.)

55avanders
jun 6, 2016, 12:17 pm

Very interesting! fun find :)

56avidmom
Redigerat: jun 7, 2016, 10:52 pm

I've read a few other books on Lincoln that were much better maybe (hard to beat Goodwin's Team of Rivals) but I've never ran across a book where this particular aspect of Lincoln was covered.

57avidmom
jun 7, 2016, 11:05 pm



This was a re-read for me. My first copy of this book was well-read and well-loved. I loved it to pieces - literally. I replaced my little stand-alone version a few months ago. It's my favorite book. Every time I go to the Row I just feel happy. Mack and the boys, Lee Chong, Dora and the Girls at the Bear Flag and all the other characters never fail to make me feel better.

58Tess_W
jun 10, 2016, 2:11 pm

>57 avidmom: That is on my TBR list; everybody says I will like it. I just hesitant because both The Grapes of Wrath was just such a stinker!

59avidmom
Redigerat: jun 10, 2016, 3:17 pm

>58 Tess_W: I had to read The Grapes of Wrath for an English (or was it history?) class in high school and I haven't read it since. Don't want to. It just makes me think of dust... dusty story, Dust Bowl, dusty, dry reading. Yuck. Dust!!!! Cannery Row is a different book altogether. There is a movie also by the same name (can still be found on Amazon) which is Cannery Row and Sweet Thursday combined.

Here's a link to my review of it back in 2012. Maybe this will give you a little nudge? Maybe?

https://www.librarything.com/topic/130501#3216984

60avidmom
jun 19, 2016, 10:24 pm

"Shut the doors, shut the windows, shut everything! the Invisible Man is coming!"



This was a fun book to read. It was scary in that wonderful B movie kind of way, and funny too. I'd never really thought about the downside of invisibility but there is definitely a down side to it. Of course there is an upside as well but one that probably is better suited to darker more sinister personalities and that's where the trouble starts in the story - especially for the people who encounter Griffin (the Invisible Man).

The character of the Invisible Man (Griffin) reminded me very much of Cumberbatch's Sherlock and the old classic movie "Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man" (which had nothing much in common with the book apparently)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVy5u8TKfOk. So in my head, I had an interesting Benedict Cumberbatch as the Invisible Man and Lou Costello as Mr. Marvel. LOL.

61rabbitprincess
jun 19, 2016, 10:27 pm

>60 avidmom: I found myself wondering why he didn't test his invisibility formula on a shirt and a pair of pants first -- of course, then he might have had trouble finding them when he needed them!

62avanders
jun 20, 2016, 10:20 am

>60 avidmom: fun! now I'm intrigued....

63avidmom
jun 20, 2016, 3:24 pm

>61 rabbitprincess: LOL! See. More Problems With Invisibility.

>62 avanders: It was a lot of fun, I thought and great light reading for summer.

64Tess_W
jun 20, 2016, 11:10 pm

>60 avidmom: I have that on my Kindle to read...will move it up!

65avidmom
jun 20, 2016, 11:30 pm

>64 Tess_W: I think I have had it on my Kindle for a few years now!

66avanders
jun 21, 2016, 9:49 am

>63 avidmom: I added it to the ol' wishlist... :)

67avidmom
Redigerat: jun 22, 2016, 5:21 pm


Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
(I have the free from Amazon version on my Kindle with that boring cover; this cover is the 2011 movie-tie in.)

I finally got around to reading this classic novel. I loved the character of Jane who goes from neglected and abused castoff orphan girl to slandered school girl to a very self-possessed woman. When faced with decisions that would make her life easy but violate her convictions, Jane chooses to stick to her morals and principles knowing full well her decision(s) will make her life unimaginably difficult. With everything against her, she strikes out (really more than once) and makes a life of her own. How could you not like her?

I loved the characters of Jane, the indecipherable Mr. Rochester, and their quirky love story. The eerie mystery of the near-fatal goings on at Thornfield Hall really elevated the story in my opinion. Surprisingly, though, the book itself was a bit of a slog for me. It was not that the story was boring, there really never was a dull moment there, but the language and the long - very long - descriptions of everything were so far over the top! The writing, for certain, was eloquent and beautiful, but the descriptions of every parlour, room, landscape, weather and person began to become (for this reader) overly long and a bit tiresome! I understood this as part and parcel to Romantic Period Literature, but I think I was so badly wanting to get to the story that it just seemed to bog things down. My eyes were beginning to protest strongly so I started listening to the audio version beautifully narrated by Emma Messenger and that saved my eyes and my patience! The ending was beautifully romantic and tragic and a bit unexpected (I love it when a story surprises me) and even I, cynic that I am, found myself a little misty eyed over it.

It was definitely worth the effort to read/listen to!



2011 movie trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8PLpXvhtlc

68Tess_W
jun 23, 2016, 1:11 am

I love the Bronte sisters, Wuthering Heights being my favorite followed by Jane Eyre.

69avidmom
jun 23, 2016, 11:53 am

>68 Tess_W: Jane Eyre is definitely on my favorites list too now! I actually find myself nursing a major book hangover this morning. Mr. Rochester, where have you been all my life?! LOL

I haven't read Wuthering Heights yet but it is on my Kindle.

70avanders
Redigerat: jun 23, 2016, 1:40 pm

>67 avidmom: oh yeah, that's one of my all-time favorites! Glad you enjoyed it! Haven't seen the movie yet though...
And I also loved Wuthering Heights.. enough to get both versions of the movie ;)

71avidmom
jun 23, 2016, 2:55 pm

>70 avanders: I thought the 2011 movie trailer for Jane Eyre looked very promising but, sadly, I was disappointed. Michael Fassbender was great as Rochester and Mia Wasikowska was a beautiful Jane, but the writing and editing were sorely lacking IMO. Of course, I think trying to condense that story into a two hour movie is already impossible. Fortunately, however, from doing some Amazon and youtube snooping, I found a 1983 BBC version starring Timothy Dalton (before he was James Bond) as Mr. Rochester and from what I've seen on youtube it sticks very closely to the book. (A mini series). I have it on request from my library. :)

72avidmom
jun 24, 2016, 12:06 am

73MissWatson
jun 24, 2016, 2:07 am

>71 avidmom: I preferred the version with Timothy Dalton, he was a much more sinister Rochester. If I remember correctly they used the same house as the later version.

74avanders
jun 24, 2016, 10:26 am

>71 avidmom: Interesting... I'll still check it out, but I appreciate the heads up -- helps manage expectations :)
let us know how you like the BBC version!

75Tess_W
jun 25, 2016, 12:24 am

>71 avidmom: I've seen 3 movie versions of Jane Eyre, and I agree that the one with Timothy Dalton is my favorite.

76avidmom
Redigerat: jun 26, 2016, 7:43 pm

Went and picked up the BBC version of Jane Eyre with Timothy Dalton and oh ........ wow! Watched the whole thing over the last two days. (11 1/2 hour episodes). Sure, sure, Dalton is too pretty for Rochester and Zelah Clarke is too old for Jane but it just works because they both play their parts so well - especially Dalton.

Most especially Dalton!

77readingtangent
jul 2, 2016, 3:41 pm

>67 avidmom: I love Jane Eyre! I've only seen the film adaptation with Fassbender as Rochester (and I agree with you about it), but now I'm intrigued about the Dalton version...

78avidmom
jul 2, 2016, 8:57 pm

>77 readingtangent: The Timothy Dalton one is the one to see! (Even the gypsy scene is in there.)

79avidmom
jul 12, 2016, 12:28 am


Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy
(Another movie tie-in cover to replace the boring freebie Kindle one. It was this movie that led me to the book.)

After watching the movie referred to in the cover above, I had to go and read the book for myself. It hooked me from the very first sentence: "When Farmer Oak smiled, the corners of his mouth spread till they were within an unimportant distance of his ears, his eyes were reduced to chinks, and diverging wrinkles appeared round them, extending upon his countenance like the rays in a rudimentary sketch of the rising sun." His character is described as "...when his friends and critics were in tantrums, he was considered rather a bad man; when they were pleased, he was rather a good man; when they were neither, he was a man whose moral colour was a kind of pepper-and-salt mixture."

Enter into Farmer Gabriel Oak's life the young and beautiful Bathsheba Everdene who has come to work for the winter on her aunt's farm next door. Independent and headstrong, Bathsheba rejects his offer of marriage even though he tells her "... I love you far more than common!" And even after she says no, he declares that I shall do one thing in this life - one thing certain - that is, love you, and long for you and keep wanting you till I die."

Poor Gabriel. Not only does Batsheba reject him, but his fortunes change and he ends up losing the farm he was working so hard to own one day. And just as (wouldn't you know it?) his fortunes change, Bathsheba's change too and she inherits her uncle's rather large farm. One thing leads to another and Gabriel ends up working for Bathsheba. Independent Bathsheba runs the farm and isn't afraid of working hard alongside her employees there. Her youth and beauty don't go unnoticed, however, and when she plays an innocent trick (which is probably the most ridiculous part of the story, IMHO) on the confirmed middle-aged bachelor next door, he also asks her to marry him. Bathsheba manages a cool distance from her suitors, but when a bad boy soldier shows up, Bathsheba finds herself learning things about life and romance that are kind of the painful kind. Through all of this: the wealthy and obsessed suitor next door; the bad boy soldier who seemingly shows up out of nowhere and steals Bathsheba's heart; and the crises on the farm that he invariably solves; humble, salt-of-the-earth Gabriel stays forever loyal to Bathsheba. No matter what.

I really loved this story of seemingly regular down-to-earth people working side by side with each other; making friendships, helping each other, and loves found and lost. No one is painted an absolute villain or saint (they're all of the "salt and pepper mixture"). With the exception of men asking Bathsheba to marry them after seemingly five minutes of meeting her, the events in the story seem very plausible and real. There's also something lighthearted and fun about this book also that made it a very enjoyable read.

And listen:

I absolutely loved listening to Jamie Parker's narration of this story. His portrayal of Joseph Poorgrass cracked me up! Each character had his/her own distinct voice. Not only did Parker narrate, but he actually sang when singing was called for! Very impressive. Jamie Parker is a brilliant narrator and he probably had more than a little influence on my opinion on Hardy's book.

And watch:

I caught the movie version of this a while back on HBO and then had to go off and read the book to see how the two compared. And, I have to say, after reading the book, I think the movie does a pretty excellent job of bringing the story to life and remaining true to the book. The scenery is gorgeous and the musical score is also beautiful.




80Tess_W
Redigerat: jul 12, 2016, 2:29 am

>79 avidmom: I liked both the book and the movie! Hardy is one of my favorite authors.

81rabbitprincess
Redigerat: jul 12, 2016, 5:40 pm

>79 avidmom: I too enjoyed the movie of Far from the Madding Crowd. Haven't read the book yet, but the Jamie Parker narration sounds promising! He made a great Prince Hal in the Shakespeare's Globe production of Henry IV Parts 1 and 2.

82avidmom
jul 12, 2016, 10:08 pm

>80 Tess_W: This is the first Hardy book I've read. I have Tess of the D'Ubervilles waiting for me on my bookcase.

>81 rabbitprincess: I felt really kind of dumb because I had no idea who Jamie Parker was; I had to go look him up! If he can narrate as well as he acts, that must be something!!!!!

83rabbitprincess
Redigerat: jul 12, 2016, 10:11 pm

>82 avidmom: And I didn't know he'd done audiobooks! When I saw the Globe production I just assumed he was a British theatre actor.

84Tess_W
jul 12, 2016, 11:20 pm

>82 avidmom: Love Tess, also!

85readingtangent
jul 17, 2016, 5:09 pm

>79 avidmom: That sounds great. I read Return of the Native in high school and didn't like it, but I remember watching a movie adaptation (with Catherine Zeta Jones, I think) and loving that.

86avidmom
jul 18, 2016, 10:44 pm

>85 readingtangent: From someone's comments on my other thread in Club Read 2016, I gather Hardy isn't always what you call "fun"!

87connie53
jul 31, 2016, 2:38 am

Just popping in and saying 'Hi' to you!

88avidmom
aug 2, 2016, 2:03 am

>87 connie53: Hi Connie! :)

I haven't been posting here much lately .... too many library books at the moment!

89This-n-That
aug 23, 2016, 1:24 pm

>79 avidmom: I read Far From the Madding Crowd last year and really enjoyed it, although I still haven't gotten around to viewing the move version. So glad that you felt the movie version stayed fairly true to the book though.

I also attempted to read Tess of the d'Urbervilles during 2015, but ended up setting the being book aside after 2 chapters. Just couldn't get into the story, I guess.

90avidmom
aug 26, 2016, 8:56 pm

>89 This-n-That: Yeah. Poor Tess is still on the shelf. I think she'll be there a while. :)

91avidmom
Redigerat: aug 29, 2016, 9:54 pm



I had been working on a review of this one, quotes and all, etc., etc., when the power went off and zapped it.

So, here's my review: if a title like this appeals to you, you should read it. Yancey is not talking about what happens when something Tragic & Terrible happens (although that's in here too) but rather what is our reaction when the little things add up and we find ourselves wondering if Anybody's up there. And if there is, why doesn't He do something! Here, Yancey takes us through the Old Testament (a "behavior modification" experiment) and the book of Job and gives us a different perspective on disappointment, the perspective of God. It's very interesting. He then goes on to paint a picture of the perspective of disappointment of the disciples in the New Testament. Interesting stuff and I took copious notes because there were so many "oh, I never thought about it like that" moments.

This is the second Yancey book I've read; the first being Soul Survivor. I've really enjoyed both. Yancey doesn't write like your typical "Christian-ese" writers (like Joyce Meyers or Osteen); he writes a bit more intellectually and less preachy. I didn't get the feeling that he was trying to write a book that would "lead" readers to salvation (like most Christian self-help) or write a bunch of feel good platitudes (I think he refers to them as "syrupy") but rather he was giving an intellectual/philosophical argument that gives the reader something to think about and come to their own conclusion.

92avanders
aug 29, 2016, 12:14 pm

Hi! I couldn't possibly catch up on the threads after my crazy-long absence, but I just wanted to say hi :)

93Tess_W
Redigerat: aug 31, 2016, 6:02 pm

>91 avidmom: I have read a couple of Yancey that our group chose for a Bible Study, I think one was actually called The Bible Jesus Read--it was very technical talking about form and translation, but it was ok, I did learn some things! I agree with your taken on Yancey, he's not preachy or trying to sell you something.

Newest Outlander fan?

94avidmom
aug 31, 2016, 9:35 pm

>92 avanders: Glad you're back!

>93 Tess_W: I've seen that book around too but never, for whatever reason, seem too drawn to it. After being a Christian for a while, and reading quite a bit of "Christian-ese" books, I'm always happy to learn something new or even just look at something in a different light. I have another book of his here What Good Is God?. I'll tackle that one day.

Newest Outlander fan?
LOL. No...... not yet anyway. And that's only because I haven't read it. (Yet.)

95avanders
sep 2, 2016, 3:46 pm

>94 avidmom: nice to be back :)

>91 avidmom: >93 Tess_W: Hmm sounds like I may enjoy that book! I'll stick it on the radar... :)

96Jackie_K
sep 5, 2016, 5:03 pm

I really like Philip Yancey. My favourite is What's So Amazing About Grace? which is wonderful. Another one I really must reread.

97avidmom
sep 9, 2016, 7:38 pm

>96 Jackie_K: I need to check that one out.

98avidmom
sep 17, 2016, 5:01 pm


The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
The Magician's Nephew (Book 1)

The Magician's Nephew is the first book in the Chronicles of Narnia series. Polly and Digory are neighbors in London. Digory and his mother have come to live with Digory's uncle and aunt due to his mother's illness. Digory's uncle is a bit "odd" and Polly and Digory (like most kids) are looking for something to do and end up stumbling on Uncle Andrew's "magic rings" that have the ability to transport them to different worlds.

This is a classic for a reason. The writing is beautiful, and even snarky at times (I do love a well-placed bit of snark) and the Christian allegory mixed with classic Greek/Roman mythology is just briliant! Great for kids (I think Grade 3 and up) but this grown up certainly loved it.

I don't know how I missed reading this as a kid, but I did....
Maybe it's better now. :)

99Tess_W
sep 17, 2016, 7:03 pm

>98 avidmom: Oh wow, I didn't know that was the first book in the series. I thought it was The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.

100avidmom
Redigerat: sep 17, 2016, 9:08 pm

>99 Tess_W: I wasn't aware of it until now (because of a comment posted by Nickelini on the "What are you reading now?" thread in the Club Read 2016 group) but apparently there is some controversy about which novel should be first in the series.

After doing some googling I found out that there's a discrepancy between the order the books were published and/or written and the chronological events of the story themselves.

The giant 7-in-1 book I have has The Magician's Nephew first.

101Jackie_K
sep 18, 2016, 9:51 am

My understanding (which might well be made-up, I know what I'm like!) is that The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe was written first, but then The Magician's Nephew was written to provide some of the backstory (it's where you find out about where the streetlamp in Narnia came from, for example). When I was a kid I had only read TLTW&TW and Prince Caspian, but then got the set of seven books as a present when I was at university, so read them in the order they were in that (Magician's Nephew, TLTW&TW, The Horse & His Boy, Prince Caspian, Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, and The Last Battle). I remember loving The Magician's Nephew, but I haven't read any of them for many years, I must reread them sometime.

102avidmom
sep 18, 2016, 5:22 pm

>101 Jackie_K: I think that's what the "controversy" is about. I found this link helpful: http://www.narniaweb.com/resources-links/in-what-order-should-the-narnia-books-b...

I have 1/2 a notion to pull out the Disney movie we have here and re-watching it. :)

103readingtangent
sep 18, 2016, 6:21 pm

>98 avidmom: I read all the Narnia books as ROOTs earlier this year :). So fun. I read them in the order they were numbered in the set that my husband had (starting with The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe).

104avidmom
sep 20, 2016, 11:21 pm

>103 readingtangent: I think I will try to read the rest in "publishing order." (Maybe.)

"Charming" and "delightful" are not words I use to describe things; but these books are the epitome of both of those words.

105avanders
sep 22, 2016, 10:05 am

>104 avidmom: that was what I wanted to do too... I've only made it 4 books in so far, but I like to read them in the way they were written :)

106avidmom
sep 22, 2016, 6:47 pm

>105 avanders: Which ones have you read so far?

My big dilemma here is do I re-watch that Disney movie now or wait till I've finished the book. As I read, I can't help but think of the movie!

107avidmom
sep 28, 2016, 2:14 pm


The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe

Really loved this one! So glad I decided to read these now as they are such wonderful escapes into another world but with such a great message. I see the Christian allegory and appreciate it, but on the other hand, I can totally put the whole allegory-thing on the back burner and just appreciate the story for the magic that it is.

I've decided to read the books in publishing order from now on so next up is Prince Caspian.

The picture above is a picture from the 2005 Disney movie. I hadn't seen the film in many years, so we dusted off our old DVD copy and gave it a spin. Lovely film. Since I watched the movie first (in the theatre and now at home), images of the movie were running through my head as I read. So, of course, Tilda Swinton will always be the White Witch and Liam Neeson will be Aslan.

But I think I've spending too much time here in Narnia; last night I dreamed I had 2 or 3 lions at my house I didn't know what to do with! LOL (It was kind of scary really.)

(Funnily enough, a few years ago someone in my city found a stray lion cub roaming around the streets. It was THE story for a few days...)

108avanders
nov 2, 2016, 11:46 am

>106 avidmom: oh gosh, let's see...
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Prince Caspian
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
and maybe The Silver Chair? Or maybe not.. maybe I need to read that 4th one still..

Hope you continue to enjoy them!

109avidmom
nov 5, 2016, 6:15 pm

I've put Prince Caspian on the back burner because I have gotten sucked into Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Prophet, Martyr, Spy. (Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran theologian/pastor who led a rebellion - of sorts - within the church against Hitler. Eventually he would become one of the conspirators in the plot to assassinate Hitler. Certainly not at all like the sweet, lovely Narnia books! I think I'm going to need Narnia after Bonhoeffer!)

110avidmom
Redigerat: nov 19, 2016, 12:16 pm

"Only he who cries out for the Jews may sing Gregorian chants."


Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was born into a family of wealth, prestige, intellect and heart. Dietrich became a brilliant theologian earning his masters degree in the subject in his early 20s. He went on to become a pastor and a teacher, but more importantly he became one of the people implicated in the plot to assassinate Hitler. Metaxas's book is about how Bonhoeffer came to reconcile his deep Chrstian beliefs with his involvement in the conspiracy to asassinate Hitler.

This book was quite a history and psychology lesson, not only about Bonhoeffer, but about the German psyche. Metaxas points out some things here about Germany that I never knew before. For instance, because of their deep ties to Martin Luther, being Lutheran was almost part and parcel to a majority of the population's national identity. Being obedient to one's government was also part of being a good German/Christian/and/or Lutheran. So, it's easy to see, with that perspective, how it came to be that when Hitler became chancellor in the early 30s and began to insinuate himself in the Lutheran church to the point where he co-opted it for his own purposes, that many Lutherans simply accepted- and some even applauded - it. (By the end of his reign, Hitler had replaced the cross on top of Wartenberg Castle - where Luther translated the Bible into German - with a swastika.) Not everyone inside the church was as taken by “the Fuhrer” as others. Bonhoeffer was one of those voices - inside the Lutheran church and outside of it - speaking out – in his quiet but influential way - against Hitler.

Bonhoeffer, from nearly the beginning of Hitler's rise to power, seemed to have a keen sense of what was to come if Hitler remained in authority. A few things contributed to Bonhoeffer’s prophetic vision: an incredibly astute intellect, a sincere passion for his theology and Christian beliefs, and contact with his brother-in-law. Bonhoeffer’s brother-in-law, as a judge in the court, was privy to information about the conduct of Hitler’s machine that most did not have. This connection was the catalyst – and ultimately the downfall of – Bonhoeffer’s decision to become part of the plot to assassinate Hitler. Bonhoeffer actually saw this act of rebellion against the state and murder as a calling from God (a clear violation of Romans 13 & obviously, one of the most basic of the 10 Commandments), not only to him, but to all true Christians. The church’s job was to “ … not just to bandage the victims under the wheel, but to put a spoke in the wheel itself.” In other words, the church had an obligation to stop the vehicle that was rolling over people. Most controversial of all, Bonhoeffer stated that the church was to help “…the victims of any ordering of society, even if they do not belong to the Christian community.” German Lutherans at the time knew exactly who he meant: all men, of course, but more specifically the Jewish community.

What I found most interesting about this book was witnessing Bonhoeffer’s subtle but powerful transformation from having an intellectual assent to his faith (i.e. “theology”) to a real heart-felt and personal relationship to his God. By the early 1930s, a young Bonhoeffer, having proved himself a brilliant theologian and philosopher, was sent to study at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. He went to a few church services nearby. None of the sermons met his standards. And then one day he decided to go to church with his fellow Union student, Albert Franklin “Frank” Fisher, an African American. Fisher and Bonhoeffer went to a church service at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem. There he was introduced to the preaching of Dr. Adam Clayton Powell Sr. ”Starving from the skim milk at Union, Bonhoeffer found a theological feast that spared nothing. Powell combined the fire of a revivalist preacher with great intellect and social vision. He was active in combating racism and minced no words about the saving power of Jesus Christ.” Bonhoeffer became a part of the Abyssinian Baptist Church, teaching a Sunday school class and becoming actively involved in a number of groups there. When he went back to Germany he took along with him a number of musical recordings of the “negro spirituals” he had come to love. ”The joyous and transformative power of this music solidified his thinking on the importance of music to worship. He would take these recordings back to Germany and play them for his students in Berlin, and later in the sandy Baltic outposts of Zingst and Finkenwalde {the – eventually – illegal seminaries Bonhoeffer ran as part of the “Confessing Church” }. They were some of his most treasured possessions, and for many of his students, they seemed as exotic as moon rocks.”

After his stint at Union, Bonhoeffer returned to Germany where he eventually became one of the founders of the “Confessing Church,” a section of the Lutheran church that refused to be co-opted by the Third Reich. For years, Bonhoeffer had vocally opposed Hitler’s Third Reich, in brash and subtle tones. When the Hitler machine began gathering steam on the eve of WWII, he was sent to the United States for his own safety. Almost as soon as he landed on American soil, he became miserable. He felt that his call was to go back to Germany and help his brethren:
”I have had the time to think and to pray about my situation and that of my nation and to have God’s will for me clarified. I have come to the conclusion that I have made a mistake in coming to America. I must live through this difficult period of our national history with the Christian people of Germany. I shall have no right to participate in the reconstruction of Christian life in Germany after the war if I do not share the trials of this time with my people.....”


Bonhoeffer, as part of the ecumenical movement, had contacts with clergy in many countries. His contacts with the outside world made him a great double agent. His unshakable belief that he was doing the right thing - that he was doing the will of God – enabled Bonhoeffer to not only sacrifice his reputation, his personal comfort, and ultimately his life, for this cause. Bonhoeffer was pretending to be a pastor - but was only pretending to be pretending, since he really was being a pastor. And he was pretending to be a member of Military Intelligence working for Hitler, but - … - he was in reality working against Hitler. Bonhoeffer was not telling little white lies. In Luther’s famous phrase, he was “sinning boldly.” He was involved in a high-stakes game of deception upon deception, and yet Bonhoeffer himself knew that in all of it, he was being utterly obedient to God. For him, that was the cantus firmus that made the dizzying complexities of it all perfectly coherent.”

Quite an amazing story of an amazing man. Of course, there is so much more to the story than what I can write here.

Very Highly recommended!
*********************************************
The book itself: the book itself is rather dense and some of Bonhoeffer’s theological/philosophical musings were sometimes difficult for me to get through. It is a bit of a tome but absolutely worth the time spent to learn about this incredible person and a mind-boggling period of history. I also had the audio version of this book; it was quite good.
**************************************
While Bonhoeffer’s life was cut short, we are fortunate that many of his books survive, The Cost of Discipleship, a mainstay for students of Christian theology; Ethics, and a book that got Bonhoeffer into great trouble with the Third Reich: Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible.

111Tess_W
nov 19, 2016, 4:07 am

What a great review! That's going on my wishlist. I use the movie "Bonhoffer, Agent of Grace" in my Holocaust class.

112avidmom
nov 19, 2016, 12:13 pm

Thank you! I stumbled across the book in the Kindle store. (I think it was $2.99 and then I added the audible narration for a few dollars on top of that).

I'd like to know more about what you cover in your Holocaust class.

113Tess_W
Redigerat: nov 19, 2016, 6:44 pm

>112 avidmom: I have the class divided into 3 sections:

1. History of mistreatment of Jews
2. Early round ups and stagings in the ghettos
3. Wansee Conference and the Nuremburg Laws
4. Death Camps

I have movies and books for all sections. If you're interested in titles and such, let me know and I can provide specifics.

114avidmom
nov 19, 2016, 9:24 pm

How far back in history do you go back for #1?

Sure. I'd love to know what movies/books you use for your class. I work at our local high school and they're all required to read Night; the kids always like - and are sad and shocked - by it. I was surprised the other day when one of our seniors there said she'd only learned about the Holocaust last year (i.e. her junior year)! When I was in school WWII and the Holocaust, etc. was being taught as early as 8th grade.

115Tess_W
nov 19, 2016, 10:14 pm

>114 avidmom: I start clear back at the beginning--Biblical times. I don't know what state you live in, but in Ohio our kids don't learn about WWII or the Holocaust until 9th grade. We do read Night in history in the 9th grade. I think in 8th grade they read Anne Frank, but they don't study it as history. I teach both 9th and 10th grade and in 9th we study WWII and focus on the Holocaust and also study WWII in 10th with focus on the dropping and effects of the bomb. I won an award in 2005 and got to go to DC and spend time with survivors. When I returned I asked my boss if I could write a semester course on The Holocaust and he agreed. After 2-3 years of tweaking I submitted it to a local university and it was accepted so now I teach it at the university level as well as the high school level.

Movies used:
____________historical roots of anti-semitism (Movie is at school and I can't remember name...I will get back to you on this one)
Conspiracy (Wansee Conference)
The Pianist (ghettos and staging)
Irene Sendler (ghettos and staging)
Escape from Sobibor (death camp)
Life is Beautiful (death camp)
Bonhoffer, Agent of Grace (just because it's a great movie and it begs great debates about whether the clergy should disobey a law and become involved in political intrigue)

Books:
From Ashes to Life by Lucille Eichengreen
Schindler's List
Student Choice (I have a personal library of about 50 books and they can choose)

In this course I do not require a pencil/paper final exam. In lieu of that each student must create a "museum" display for the last day of class. I've had superior art pieces, children's books written, I've had piano concertos and violin pieces written and performed as well as a ballet piece for Schindler's list. We've had statues, sculptures, furniture pieces. The students are so creative and so talented when something moves them.

116avidmom
nov 22, 2016, 1:44 pm

>115 Tess_W: That's is so wonderful that you get to teach your class at the high school AND university level. I've seen "The Pianist" and "Life Is Beautiful". I'm not quite through with the Bonhoeffer movie yet. I have not read Schindler's List but have seen the movie. Love your final exam idea too. High school kids are often underestimated as to what they can actually do!

117avidmom
nov 22, 2016, 1:44 pm


The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

What a charming little story! The allusions to Christianity and/or WWII (something I wouldn't have noticed before were it not for the NF book I plan to read) were not lost on me, but with all of that seriousness seamlessly thrown in, I enjoyed this book at its most joyful level: a fairytale complete with a talking Lion and the rightful Prince restored to his throne.

It is such a wonderful thing to have literature like Narnia to escape into when life feels a bit overwhelming.

118avidmom
Redigerat: dec 11, 2016, 1:09 pm


The Woman Who Walked In Sunshine by Alexander McCall Smith

Another sweet offering from Alexander McCall Smith about the goings on at the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. A pleasant enough read, but nothing earth shattering. The focus is more on Mma Ramotswe who is taking - or trying to take - a holiday at the insistence of her small crew at the office. In her absence, a few mysteries pop up and Mma Ramotswe can't seem to stay away from trying to help.

Not my favorite in the series, but certainly filled a need for a "gentle read." I did appreciate, though, more than ever, Mma Ramotswe's positive outlook on life and people and her wonderful ability to show mercy and kindness to everyone.

119avidmom
Redigerat: dec 21, 2016, 4:04 pm



This was free for my Kindle. I'm not usually too keen on "Christian fiction" but this one seemed enticing, so I went for it.

Ruby is a simple girl living in rural Alabama at the beginning of the Great Depression. As her family struggles to deal with her father's death and other losses, Ruby has things of her own to deal with. Struggling with her own pain and feelings of uselessness at home, Ruby volunteers to help her friend Mary's family. Mary's older brother is dying from T.B. and no one wants to be around Matthew and his contagious disease, but Ruby feels God calling her to help Matthew. Ruby learns that she has what her long-absent uncle calls the gift of healing. Ruby wonders if she has this gift? Will God let her use it to help Matthew? Soon enough, Ruby begins to feel more than just compassion for her patient. That's just part of the story. Ruby also struggles with her own faith/doubt; a mysterious family secret, and the prejudice and hatred that surrounds her in her little community.

I thought this book was well written. Ruby may be a little bit more mature than most 14/15 years-old out in the world in some respects; and a little too juvenile in others, but overall I really liked Ruby's character and found her, for the most part, believable and real. I especially appreciated the way the story covered so many different aspects of Ruby's life. This book is not in any way a bit of Christian fiction "fluff": this story is pretty gritty and deals with some pretty gritty stuff (prejudice/hatred, family secrets, violence, poverty, etc.)

This is a three part series: the next two up are Breaking Matthew and Saving Grace.

120Tess_W
dec 23, 2016, 10:32 pm

121avidmom
dec 31, 2016, 10:35 am

> Thanks Tess!

122avidmom
dec 31, 2016, 10:47 am

Talk about coming in under the wire! I finished my 20th ROOT a few minutes ago! Woo hoo. *shoo*
I made it!


Breaking Matthew: Healing Ruby

This is Book #2 in the 3 part Healing Ruby series. Matthew is back home from college. He's on his way to a life that would meet with his father's approval. Ruby is still on his mind though. When Ruby finds herself accuse of murder, Matthew finds his whole entire life in question: his pending marriage; is relationship with his family, his feelings for Ruby, the girl he turned his back on years ago; and his faith.

I'm really enjoying this series.

123avanders
jan 2, 2017, 7:08 pm

WOoo hoo congrats!


Also, Happy New Year & see you in the new 2017 group!

124avidmom
jan 2, 2017, 9:56 pm

>123 avanders: Thanks! I need to get my thread up & running over there.

125avanders
jan 3, 2017, 12:18 pm

>124 avidmom: whenever you have the time :)