What I've Been Reading #18

Library of Congress: Washington DC

I enjoy reading many kinds of books and in this group I unusually have read two non fiction books along with another that often feels like it isn't fiction.  A range from a book for a middle schooler to books about life that surely will appeal to adults that want to find more about what life is all about.  This is a good group of books that I would recommend to anyone.  Read and live!

 

Heaven is Here: An Incredible Story of Hope, Triumph, and Everyday Joy by Stephanie Nielson

Maybe the most incredible book I have read this year is how I would describe the story of Stephanie Nielson and her husband crashing in the small plane they were in along with his flight instructor.  Both of them were burned over large portions of their body (He 50% and she 80%) and the fight back to surviving and then living a normal life is truly incredible.  She does a good job of delving into the feelings she had and almost giving up several times.  She tells what seems to be small portions of multiple NDE (Near Death Experiences) and other spiritual experiences that ultimately lead to her pushing forward to really doing all she could to aid her body in the healing process.  The culmination of the book is something not surprising after you get to know her, but something nevertheless miraculous considering all that she has been through.
One of the best things about this book is how open she is in sharing her memories and feelings.  The writing style she uses brings you in and helps you feel like you are right there.  I highly recommend this book for anyone who has ever felt like they couldn't do another things or anyone who has wondered how others might overcome huge obstacles that appear as miracles to the rest of the human race.

Stephanie Nielson writes an ongoing blog that you may be interested to look at which can can go to by clicking here.http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/ 


I, Emma Freke by Elizabeth Atkinson

Emma is in middle school, she lives with her mother has red hair and she is much taller than all the girls and most of the boys and doesn't want to play on the basketball team, and doesn't know who her dad is.  To top it all off she has the last name of Freke.  So it is hard for her to feel a part of things.  She is immature socially and is shy and just doesn't seem to fit in. She is so different from her mother and relatives that it is no surprise when her friend convinces her she must be adopted.  When she does approach her mother with that question she does end up getting much more information about herself than she had before including who her Dad is.  Before she knows it she is at a family reunion by herself with a bunch of Frekes.  There she learns that just because she looks a lot like the family doesn't mean she fits in entirely.  From this experience she learns that she is more like her mother than she thought and now she begins to  grow and learn about herself and how her choices can help shape who she becomes. 
This is a good book for middle school students who often feel out of place out of time and like they are adopted. 

Life Rocks! How Firm is Your Foundation by John Bytheway

 

John Bytheway is well known in the LDS community for his talks and books for teenagers.  His books explain in ways that all can understand how important religion is in everyday life.  He explains deep and important things in ways that get us to laugh at ourselves rather than be overwhelmed and trod underfoot by life.  In this book he describes five foundational "rocks" in life: My Identity, My Savior, My Standards, My Purpose, and My Neighbor.  As usual he does so in an upbeat manner with lots of fun and lots of learning going on.  This is a good quick read for the teens it is true, but it is also enjoyable for adults as well.  After all our foundational rocks are all the same.

The Road to Grace (The Walk) by Richard Paul Evans

Richard Paul Evans continues his series starring Alan Christoffersen.  His life fell apart and now he is walking across the country in an attempt to find himself.  In this book both his past and present come together to teach him why he is taking this walk.  He isn't clear on how he expects this walk to help but he wants to continue despite the difficulties and being mugged in an earlier book.  Here part of his past comes to haunt him and he finds himself learning that people are more important than the offenses that they can cause.  When he gets to know people-even bad people-he finds that it is harder to hold grudges and as he lets go of his grudges he begins to see freedom at the end of the tunnel and the end of his walk.  The 1000 miles or so that are covered in this walk don't go by easily as he has some difficulties but everytime the difficulties, when he pushes through, leads to some important lesson. 
I really enjoyed this book.  I have to admit that in addition to seeing the main character growing I find it enjoyable as he describes the scenery and the little towns along the way with the variety of odd things that people have built and done which become the local legends along the way.  An easy and enjoyable read.   

Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. ~Author Unknown

 The largest book in the world is in Szinpetri Hungary.  It is entitled 'Our Fragile Natural Heritage'
It was written/made by Bela Varga, his wife and 25 volunteers.  It is 13.71 x 12.36 ft and weighs 3.124 pounds and is 346 pages long. 

What I've been reading #17

Trinity College Library

As things are changing int he world of books right now I can't help but wonder what a future library will look like.  Nowadays we have large buildings with shelves and shelves of books.  One day we may have our libraries totally on the internet.  There already are many books online that are so old that they cannot be safely loaned from libraries, so when a person wants one of these books they go to the online libraries.  It may come a time when we will have books that are on our e-readers entirely and not on shelves in our homes.  Maybe like DVDs when we purchase a book it will come in paper and an e-copy will come with it so we can reader it either way we like.  While it is true that this area of our lives is changing right now, we undoubtedly will still have our favorite books that we want to feel solid in our hands and that have our markings, thoughts and underlinings in the margins.  Will the beautiful libraries we have now become museums some day?
Alma by H.B. Moore

After Abinadi's death in the first book of the series, a surprising convert from the Priests of King Noah leaves the city and starts a colony of those wishing to follow the one true God.  Alma defies the king and ends up fleeing repeatedly as first King Noah and then the head Priest keep trying to punish him for following God instead of King Noah.  Through it all they learn the lessons that have been repeated through all cultures:  When you follow God you are blessed and when you don't you are left on your own which leads to all kinds of additional troubles. 

Heather Moore has done a great job in both increasing the understanding and connections of the scriptures involved as well as filling in the daily life and human drama of a time that is both very different and very similar to our own.  In my opinion this book was even better than the first one.

Ranger's Apprentice: Book 6: The Siege of Macindaw by John Flanagan

John Flanagan does it again by putting together a nice story that appeals to the young people who read it.  Will continues from the previous book to have his first major adventure as a full-fledged Ranger.  Horace joins him to save the realm from a treacherous knight who takes over a castle only to sell it to some enemies of the nation and give them a foothold in the Araluen nation--which naturally would lead to extreme difficulties for the security of the surrounding towns and counties.
Will learns a variety of lessons about trickery and treachery as well as making things looking different than they are.  It is interesting that John Flanagan has started including is some swear words in this volume.  Possibly he figures as Will grows older that is more appropriate.  Despite the fact that by today's standards they are mild they are still totally unnecessary.  The interplay between the two young men is still gentle and enjoyable.  They still prize honor and treating others kindly according to what they deserve, and they still are learning about making tough decisions that are required of defenders of the realm.  I enjoyed the book and still find it a great series with the one exception of a handful of swear words.  Since Will is growing and maturing as well there is the introduction of romance in this volume as well.  Click here to see a bit more information in a short review.

Consequences: A Retrieval Artist Novel by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Kristine Rusch has done it again with another enjoyable read.  I was trying to guess why I am finding it so interesting to read stories about a "retrieval artist" on the moon.  I think I enjoy reading about humans living on the moon but that is only the back drop to the story of a person who investigates and finds people who have taken on a new identity to escape something in their previous life.   Why is that interesting?--possibly because it is so foreign and possibly because it differs so much from my own life.

At any rate Miles Flint again finds himself taking a case and then wondering if he should have rejected it.  When his case coincides with other things happening on the moon in the Armstrong Dome that criss cross his case, he finds himself being blamed for a murder that he most certainly did not commit.  He escapes to earth so that he can investigate and find out what is really going on. 

Seeing earth from the future was enjoyable in this book.  Just when you thought the book would need another 200 pages to wrap things up it came to an enjoyably quick conclusion.  Interesting reading. 

How To Be A Sister: A Love Story With a Twist of Autism by Eileen Garvin

This is a very honest and open look at what it was like for Ms. Garvin as she grew up with five siblings one of which had autism.  Few holds were barred as she described the embarrasment and anxiety as well as the love and caring that took place in their home.  Possibly with a saint for a mother and a balancing father their home was very much defined by her autistic sister.

It goes back and forth from their childhood experiences to more recent times where Ms. Garvin has a desire to have a sisterly relationship but keeps finding that autism gets in the way. Despite her best efforts she and her sister cannot have the normal relationship Ms. Garvin desires because autism will not allow it.  However; due to her repeated attempts and persistance they are able to have a sometimes fulfilling relationship. 

This book does an excellent job in opening up a family from another child's perspective and letting us see what growing up in that home is like.  The author does express things in ways that I find bothersome or offensive with swear words at times, however they always are used as an expression of negative emotions and though I do not express my negative emotions that way I found it clearly understandable that someone with different standards might choose to do so, consequently they did not deter me from the rich exploration into her own feelings about her sister and her family that has resulted. 

I recommend this book to any who want to see a way to acceptance of a sibling that doesn't meet the family norm and to know that others may not have always been at their best inside their families.  The feelings expressed here are powerful and caused me to pause and consider things in my own home. 



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What I've Been Reading #16

The book igloo: what would yours look like if books you've read in your life were used.  Would it be to small for you to live in?  Would it be embarrassing what you had been reading?  Or would it be a strong structure that helped you become the person you have always wanted to be?

Reading gives us the chance to test ourselves without the reality of experience.  We may want to know how it would feel to live with a controlling government that didn't foster the growth and freedoms of it's people.  We may wish to experience adventures that do not exist in our time or life.  We may want to feel to test the fears of an uncertain tomorrow without living through it or maybe in preparation of it.  We may want to understand how our minds work and what are the traps that our decisions so easily fall into.  Generally we read to understand not just the world around us but to understand ourselves and our part in the world.  We want to challenge ourselves but also want to imagine how we could succeed even in the most difficult times.  Reading not only can strengthen us, increase our knowledge and help us prepare for the future but it can help us imagine ourselves to be better people who may...or may not have the opportunity to prove it in ways similar to the heroes in the books.

Crossed by Ally Condie

Crossed continues the story of Cassie, Ky and Xander in a dystopian future.  Cassie begins to have questions and determines to seek for answers even when the choices to do so are uncomfortable and sometimes even daring (which is not highly valued in her society).  She follows Ky until she is able to meet up with him and trying to escape the control of the government she seeks to understand the reasons why her world is so controlling.  Naturally there is the love story/triangle between the three and she learns that their connections are more than she knows.  Ultimately the story gives some answers and then returns them to a place where answers to greater questions will be revealed in the next book.  This story is enjoyable.  I find it comparable to the Hunger Games without the violence.  So if you enjoy that sort of reading you may well enjoy this book.  If you would like to read another review of the book click here. 

Ranger's Apprentice: Book 5: The Sorcerer of the North by John Flanagan

Will is now a full fledged ranger.  He is new and young but he has built a great reputation due to his exploits in the previous books.  He is assigned to a district in the kingdom that is not known for problems but of course they begin to pop up.  Will using his daring and good sense begins to unravel what is real and what isn't.  Fortunately he is aided by Alyss who enters the story as a spy disguised as a royal from an adjoining kingdom.  Halt is a distance away and is concerned about his previous apprentice and sends additional help in the form of another friend.  The story unfolds well and we see Will struggle to determine what is happening and what is needed.  He makes errors in whom he can trust and learns from them.  The book ends somewhat abruptly and we are fortunate that the next one is readily available and we need not wait for its publication.  If you would like to read a good review of this book please click here.   


Last Light by Terri Blackstock

Last Light is the first book in a series called Restoration.  It begins when the world changes overnight as all electronics become useless.  Nothing works that requires computers or electricity.  We go back hundreds of years overnight so to speak.  The Bannings live in Alabama and are an affluent family that has been spoiled by success and they live in a neighborhood where everyone has done similarly. The process of maintaining that success has not led to knowing their neighbors well but with the new reality they find themselves needing each other very much.  Old prejudices come forward as well as new alliances.  Those who were prone to cheating become more so, while some determine to cooperate more and a few even increase their faith and reliance on God.  While this book is not strictly an end of the world type scenario (at least not yet) it is a story that illuminates what many of us fear--losing all the technology that allows us to be as selfish and independent as we are.  This is a Christian novel but in this volume the believers seem a little stilted and not fully converted...yet.  But as is typical with God, when we ignore Him there are multiple opportunities to be reminded and to turn ourselves back to him. 
How We Decide by Jonah Lehrer

This was an excellent nonfiction book that deals with how our brains make appropriate decisions, and the kind of decisions that can trick our brains.  The thing that really makes this book readable and understandable as he deals with discussions of brain chemistry and neurology is the great examples in real life activities.  He delves into a variety of studies that support the idea that our brains have two functional decision making systems that not only make decisions on different types of things but also have their areas of weakness.  The books teaches and then encourages us to use both systems and then to know when one is better suited than the other.  I found this to be very enlightening as well as enjoyable reading.  Give it a try. 

"The books which help you the most are those which make you think the most."
Theodore Parker   Minister

 

What I've been reading #15

Reading is a great relaxation for me.  I enjoy both fiction and non fiction.  In both cases they allow you to see and "experience" things that you haven't dealt with in your life and allow the insight that can come with that added experience.  This time I read a couple of non-fiction books.  Sometimes I just get tired of reading something made up and want to read something real.  However, I must admit that the best fiction comes from authors who make their characters into real people, or rather people that I can connect with and understand.  When that happens I think that then I can empathize with what is going on and maybe even feel some of the feelings that go along with it.  when that occurs then it is more than writing on paper but indeed an experience felt and remembered.

Extremes: A Retrieval Artist Novel by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

 

Well as you can see I was enjoying the Retrieval Artist series so much I wanted to read the next one right away.  This one is probably the best of the ones I've read so far.  Flint plays a good part but almost becomes a supporting character in this one as his previous partner comes to the fore.  It is enjoyable with a few surprises as you learn to think like a moon resident who lives in a dome.  A death at a marathon race on the moon may be just a first step in a science experiment.  If you like science fiction and mysteries and police procedurals I think you will like this.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

This book has a story I enjoyed a lot about a boy and his father entwined with another story that I didn't enjoy too much.  As far as entertainment it wasn't as enjoyable as I had hoped.  As far as a treatise on fatherhood however it did give some accounts of both good and bad fathers that could be valuable.  To see more about this book click here to read my previous blog about this book.

Who's at the Door?: A Memoir of Me and the Missionaries by Dan Harrington

This was a very enjoyable book written by a Catholic man and his experience being taught by and being a friend to several sets of missionaries.  Dan Harrington is a journalist for a local newspaper when he gets the idea to learn about the missionaries.  In the process he gets intrigued by the religion and investigates honestly what the missionaries teach.  He is respectful and curious and reminds me of the King who is nearly converted by Paul int he New Testament.  Although you wonder if he will be converted and many Mormons will find his reasons for not being converted...yet to be odd, he nonetheless appears to give it real thought.  In the meantime he is kind and caring to many sets of missionaries who I am sure appreciated his realness as they dealt with so much unkindness from many as they endeavor to find those who want to know more about the gospel of Jesus Christ.  This book was both enjoyable and instructive as to what an investigator notices in the doctrine and when attending church.  Click here for another review of this book by author Danyelle Ferguson.

I am In Here: The Journey of a Child with Autism Who Cannot Speak but Finds Her Voice by Elizabeth M. Bonker and Virginia G. Breen

I enjoy reading books written by people who have had different experiences than I have.  This book is written by a woman who has two of her three children who have autism.  She focuses on her daughter who cannot speak despite the mother's and the child's desire to do so.  Instead the young girl finds the talent of writing poetry.  The girl with autism is in her early teens as the book is written but the insight that shows through in her poetry is unique for one so young.  Possibly her autism has given her a focus to see what many of us miss.  This was an enjoyable book to read to see the world in a way that I have not seen it.  Click here if you would like to read a review by a mother who has a child with autism. 

“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.”

- Confucius

So you wanted a unique book shelf?

What I've been reading #13

This picture is of The Book of Life sculpture by artist David Krakov.  It is a metal sculpture.  At first I thought it was a burning book but instead it is 2,547 butterflies coming out of the book.  The pages are words from children survivors of the Chernobyl Disaster on 25 April 1986.  the sculpture is made in honor of Rabbi Yossi Raichik who is credited with saving 2, 547 children in that disaster.

Without knowing that story it could also represent the vibrant ideas and thoughts that come from reading good books.  Books can not only take us places and help us feel things that we never have imagined in life, but can also stimulate our thoughts in such a way to create new things in our minds and lives never imagined by the authors.  Books can have a power almost magical to entertain but also to fuel new and wonderful creations in the minds of the readers.

Now with such a great lead in I'm not sure that the books I have read this time rise too far above the entertainment level but we'll see.

The Retrival Artist by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

I read from a favorite author of mine, Orson Scott Card, that these books were really good so I thought I would try one.  I thought this one was the first one written and it is a short novel so I thought it would be an ideal one to start with.  It is NOT the first one but has served me quite well in introducing an interesting character and setting.  The first thing is what is a retrieval artist?  Why naturally it is someone who can find people who don't want to be found.  People who have disappeared.  The unique thing in the story line however is why did they disappear?  In this futuristic setting it is about a time when our world is one of several with life on them.  Humans of that time live on and interact with aliens on several different planets.  Different cultures intermingle despite some different beliefs and often very different ideas of what crime is and appropriate punishments for those crimes.  Often when humans break alien laws it is inadvertent and carries a death penalty.  Consequently quite a business in disappearing has risen with companies helping people to disappear so the aliens can't find them and provide their justice.  Needless to say there are times when those people must be found by other humans and that is what a retrieval artist does.  In essence a detective who finds those who never wish to be found.  This is a very interesting idea that deals head on with the ethical and moral concerns that would exist in this type of setting.  You may enjoy it.  I did!
The Disappeared by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

I enjoyed the first one so much that I read this one which is in reality the beginning of the series.  This is a full size novel that reveals the impetus for Miles Flint to become The Retrieval Artist.  Miles is a detective on the moon working for the local police force.  He begins to see things that ethically he cannot support but yet in his duty as a police officer he must enforce.  I am enjoying this series a lot and like how the author is willing to deal with the ethics in a thoughtful way.  Miles wants to help people who find themselves in unfair situations, but he finds that is easier said then done.   

Transfer of Power by Vince Flynn

I decided to follow up those two science fiction novels with a novel of political intrigue.  This novel is Vince Flynn's first novel written several years ago.  And to be honest I hope his books have gotten better.  The book was meant to be an action story that got bogged down in politics.  It started well adn ended well but got lost before finding its way at the end.  Some of the politicians find themselves acting like the worst of their lot.  While the military seems to have most of the honorable people in the story.  Some terrorists are able to take over the White House and just miss nabbing the President who escapes to a vault in basement with his Secret Service staff, that is meant to keep him safe.  How the White House is eventually taken and the terrorists are twarted is the main part of the story.It was just an okay story, lagged in the middle, had stupid profanity in excess but hey, the good guys ended up winning.

Ranger's Apprentice Book 4: The Battle for Skandia by John Flanagan

Of course I had to continue the series my youngest daughter recommended to me.  Every time I go back to it after reading some adult books I think it will not be able to keep my interest and carry on the good and honorable lives of Will, Halt, Horace and Evanlyn.  But it always grabs me pretty quickly and I am happy to return to their adventures.  Will and Evanlyn continue their escape from the Skandians while Halt and Horace are traveling a long distance to find them and save them.  They meet up to find themselves in the middle of an invading force coming to conquer the Skandians.  I really like how the author takes the idealistic training of the boys in their apprenticeships and shows how they learn that reality often doesn't conform to what they were taught and so they must learn to implement honor and other values into the real world in ways that they didn't expect.  This series continues to be great, not just for boys who are looking for some action and intrigue but girls who may get a glimpse into a boys heart and mind.  Still good for young and old alike.  Highly recommended.

Something to consider:  “The poor and the affluent are not communicating because they do not have the same words. When we talk of the millions who are culturally deprived, we refer not to those who do not have access to good libraries and bookstores, or to museums and centers for the performing arts, but those deprived of the words with which everything else is built, the words that open doors. Children without words are licked before they start. The legion of the young wordless in urban and rural slums, eight to ten years old, do not know the meaning of hundreds of words which most middle-class people assume to be familiar to much younger children. Most of them have never seen their parents read a book or a magazine, or heard words used in other than rudimentary ways related to physical needs and functions. Thus is cultural fallout caused, the vicious circle of ignorance and poverty reinforced and perpetuated. Children deprived of words become school dropouts; dropouts deprived of hope behave delinquently. Amateur censors blame delinquency on reading immoral books and magazines, when in fact, the inability to read anything is the basic trouble.” Peter S. Jennison

It occurs to me that a person who is able to read and chooses to read material that is harmful or desensitizing risks being not only equally uninformed and without hope as those who can't read.  Thus making many of the same mistakes in living their lives as those who can't read.   

What I've been reading #12

Reading for me serves a lot of uses.  In addition to learning things that I would miss otherwise, or reinforcing ideas that I want to remember and use in my life, I also read for relaxation and relief.  That is reading can frequently be like a vacation.  The trick of course is to read to enhance life and not live to keep on reading.  There is a difference of course.  The latter means you get so involved in the books that living life in between reading times gets onerous because you want to be in that book.  I suppose that isn't a problem for short periods, when a book has gotten your interest so much that you can hardly wait to get back to it, but if that were to become a way of life it would seem that life itself would get lost in the reading and become less important than what one was reading.  In our life we have lots of control (although certainly not total control) and in the book we have limited control (i.e. how to picture the characters and adding things that the author cannot possibly totally fill in--like attitudes etc) however we do not control their actions or the adventures or lack of them--that remains with the author.  I hope you can find reading enjoyable as well to enhance and give some relaxation from life when needed. 

Abinadi by H.B. Moore

This last summer when I was at BYU library looking at the special collections I checked out an area that had several authors that they were highlighting and some of the books they had written.  I noticed Heather Moore and that she had written several fictional books about incidents in the Book of Mormon and thought I would like to try those out.  The first one in this series was about Abinadi.  He is a prophet that ends up giving his life to comply with the the instruction of the Lord to tell the remind the people about Christ and to warn them to repent or great hardships would be coming their way.  Needless to say they didn't really want to listen and their king had him killed.  In the Book of Mormon there really isn't much told about him and this book imagines more about his life including a wife and child and the consequent difficulty to choose to do what the Lord said despite knowing the Kings attitude toward the gospel.  I found the book very enjoyable and seemed to bring in a lot of authentic aspects of the time.  Many characters were fleshed out until they started to have meaning for me--which is to say the characterization was good and helped me care about the people and what they were going through in their lives.  This obviously is not doctrinal (and not intended to be) but gives one some possibilities to consider about the people while reviewing the doctrine from this very small part of the Book of Mormon.  Well worth the time reading.  I hope to read the next book in the series sometime soon as well. 

The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans

Richard Paul Evans is noted for his several Christmas stories that add to the meaning of the season as it influences individuals for positive change.  he has written other books as well.  His writing is typically clean and wholesome and enjoyable.  This story is about James Kier who has learned the wrong lesson in life.  When he was cheated in business early in his career he learned to do the same to become very successful at making money.  The problem is that his wife knew and married him before that change and knows what kind of man he can be.  James decides to divorce his wife and get rid of everything that reminds him of who he really is.  But then he sees his own obituary in the paper and that gives his best self enough leverage to eventually come back and lead him down a better path.  A path that leads him to attempt to help some of those he has cheated to seek some redemption.  This is a very quick and enjoyable read in the tradition of Christmas stories that encourage those of us to keep trying to be good--if we already are, and to make a turn if we aren't (although I'm not sure if that second group would get very far in this book).  I was a little late in reading this Christmas book this year because I didn't find it until I was in a dollar store in January.  Even though it was past Christmas I found it enjoyable and you may too. 

Chasing China: A Daughter's Quest for Truth by Kay Bratt

Kay Bratt is the author of Silent Tears: A Journey of Hope in a Chinese Orphanage.  While that book was about the authors experience in China volunteering in a Chinese Orphanage, this book is a fictional story about an adopted Chinese orphan reaching young adulthood and returning to China to find her real parents. It is an enjoyable story about a girl who realizes that she has developed with some difficulties because of feeling abandoned by her birth parents.  She returns to China and seeks to find her parents in hopes of understanding herself better and being able to put behind her those feelings of loss so she can move on more confidently in her life.  She meets several Americans that are willing to help along the way.  The parts of the story that she brushes up and comments on Chinese culture and orphanage happenings, feel most authentic.  There is a portion of a young adult love story when she "hangs out" by today's parlance with another Chinese American.  Overall I thought it was effective in showing how adopted children might feel about their past and want to settle their past to better seek their future. 

Rangers Apprentice: Book 3: The Icebound Land by John Flanagan

Book three in this series recommended by my teenaged daughter picks up with Will and Evalyn being kidnapped and taken to Skandia to be sold as slaves.  The leader of the army gains respect for them as he sees them adjust mostly well to their new lives.  This respect comes in later as he makes an effort to save them when it becomes evident that their slave placement becomes particularly dangerous for Will.  The story splits between Will and Evalyn's predicaments to Halt and Horace as they come to save Will and Evalyn and find themselves in sticky situations in their travels.  The most interesting part of the book for me is when Will is placed as a slave and he is disliked because of his best efforts to do well.  His enemies take an opportunity when he is sick to get him hooked on a dangerous drug that makes him forget who he is and his skills learned as a ranger's apprentice.  It appears that Book 4 will answer the question of if Halt and Horace will be able to find Will and Evalyn and save them or not.  Since I know the series goes through about 10 books, I am guessing it happens.  But even though it isn't a mystery, I like his writing enough that I will want to read it and enjoy how it happens. 

"So please, oh PLEASE, we beg, we pray, Go throw your TV set away, And in its place you can install, A lovely bookshelf on the wall."

— Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

What I've been reading #11

The Christmas Shoes by Donna VanLiere

I enjoy reading a Christmas book or two when Christmas comes around.  Lisa's book club listed a book of one of this author's books to read for their meeting.  I noticed that she has written a number of Christmas books.  This particular one was the first one and was inspired by a song by the same title by a Christian group Newsong.  I was familiar with the song and enjoyed the book.  It is about a young boy whose mother is dieing and has only one more Christmas to live.  His teacher from school says something that leads him on a quest to get a present for his Mom that has lots of meaning.  It was a short read and not real intriguing but did touch the heart strings a couple times, which is just what I hope for in a Christmas book. 

Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan

My daughter Haleigh had been telling me for quite some time that this is a series that I would enjoy.  I had a number of other things to read but finally decided to ask her for the first book in what is now an 11 book series.  I must admit that I was surprised at how good it was.  It really does a good job of providing action and building the characters of the main people in the book.  Basically it is about a young orphan in about the twelfth century who has the opportunity to be a ranger but really wants to be a night.  He really works hard at his training and at key moments his creativity and training really come forward to show his talent.  This is a good moral book and though it does have violent action in it at times, it is not gory or overly detailed.  I recommend this book to those, including young people, who are looking for a good story to get into. 

The Mansion by Henry Van Dyke

I was watching the First Presidency Christmas Fireside the other day and President Monson mentioned a book I hadn't heard of that he likes to read before each Christmas season.  So I thought I would read it and found it very enjoyable.  It is similar to other classic Christmas books in that it reminds us of what is most important is that we need to give and serve and not just want and get.  But this one goes a little bit further and the point is that our heart must be in it for the right reasons and not just giving and serving so that we can look good or be admired by others.  I found it very enjoyable and a good reminder of something that often gets left out in modern Christmas celebrating.  It is a quick read and I would encourage everyone to read it as the season is upon us or even after Christmas.

Ranger's Apprentice: The Burning Bridge by John Flanagan

John Flanagan has done it again to continue Will's story along in his apprenticing to be a Ranger.  Once again he has made the characters likable as they prepare for a war with Morgareth and Will ends up saving the day in a realistic and honorable way and then ends up getting kidnapped and off to the North countries.  I am impressed with the excellent way that the good guy characters are portrayed where they will honorably do what they say even when tricked and then learn their lesson.  This is a good series if you like action from the middle ages and good characters who are really good and not using the techniques of the bad guys in an effort to do good, but instead stay firmly in the good guys camp. 

The Year Money Grew on Trees by Aaron R. Hawkins

This is a book that our family has been reading for a while.  This book would optimally be read by about 8-12 year olds but I purchased it for our family because it taught a lesson I wanted my daughter to be exposed to so she could learn more.  The idea is that earning money takes hard work.  In the story a boy is given the opportunity to take care of 100 apple trees and earn the money that he could use to purchase the land.  He learns a lot of lessons about apples, himself, salesmanship and other people.  It was good for our purposes but would have been better if our daughter was younger. 
"A great book should leave you with many experiences, and slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading.”
― William Styron

Some of the books I've read this month have had that result.  A bit tired but glad for the trip.  That's better than the book that only succeeds in being a sleep aid each time you pick it up.  Enjoy reading!

What I've been reading #10

Needless to say I've been enjoying reading as usual.  Yes, I do have plenty of other things to do with my time as well, but reading is of high value to me.  I am a person with dual interests--that is to say I am social but also enjoy solitary activities.  I enjoy reading, typically as a solitary activity.  Although my wife and I sometimes read a book out loud together, and include our youngest daughter at times as well.  Most of my reading is alone.  I often keep an eye on the books that my family members are reading and that is what led to three of the books that I have read in this bunch.  The first one was one that my wife chose for herself when I gave her a Kindle as a gift.  The next two came as a result of a book club my wife is in.  The last one was a determination to read something that had some action to it!  I enjoyed them all. 

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I found this book to be quite interesting.  This was a book that was chosen for a reading group that Lisa is in and I thought it sounded interesting enough that I would read it too.  It tells of the sixties in the south where white families had black maids.  Of course during this time things were changing with the laws and with the ways that whites and blacks treated each other.  So this is a view of that interaction in a place where the tire was hitting the road daily.  It is hard to hide or pretend the way you feel about a different race when they are in your own home daily for hours at a time.  This story is very interesting to see how the groups played nice so to speak but they had very different ways of doing that based on how much social power they had.  Then of course there were the times when things were not so nice...  I recommend this book as a good read if you want to think about a controversial time in our history when things were not even as good as they are now in this regard.
 
The Walk by Richard Paul Evans

Richard Paul Evans has written a number of books that deal with important relationship issues without a bunch of rude, crude or offensive things in his books.  This book is interesting as the main action happened at the beginning and then the very end of the book.  The part in the middle seems much like a travel log and is a little stilted.  Of course since a man is the main character and it is somewhat like he is writing in his journal then it might be just what you would expect.  I would have liked to see a little more expression of his feelings.  However, to be honest he was trying to come to terms with his feelings after the death of his wife and that is what led to "The Walk".  I recognize that my review doesn't sound so positive but you will note that this book is a series and the book below is the second one in this series...so obviously I enjoyed it and wanted to see what happened next.

Miles to Go by Richard Paul Evans (Sequel to The Walk)

Alan, the main character, is not a particularly religious fellow.  He doesn't believe much of religion and as a result he is struggling with not just his wife's death but the fact of what happened with his more recent problems.  But then he has an interesting experience where in a vision/dream his wife tells him something that quickly comes to pass.  She told him something he was supposed to do as part of his life.  Alan is a good thinker and now he is starting to realize some things about life that he hadn't recognized before.  So this walk that seemed to be to help him work out his grief has instead turned into something that is going to educate and expand his ways of thinking.  And not only that, apparently some people are in his way specifically so he can help them too and others are there to help him and sometimes both.  This book was more enjoyable to me than the first.  To see Alan growing and finding purpose in life that seemed to have lost any purpose with the death of his wife.  Now I'm anxious for the next book to come out.

Thunder of Heaven by Tim LaHaye and Craig Parshall

If you read my blog regularly or at least the ones Entitled "What I've been reading" you will note that this is a second book in a series about the times approaching the end of the world.  If you would like to read my review of the first book in this series click here.   Joshua the main character again finds himself in hot water with the leaders of nations as he continues to develop defensive weapons on the cutting edge of science.  As the US government becomes increasingly corrupt and becoming more concerned with politics and winning elections instead of protecting the citizens, he gets involved and again saves the country from another devastating nuclear blow.  However this time some people are still killed despite his best efforts.  Joshua's wife has gotten increasingly involved in the activities of he and other patriots that are trying to save the country despite the governments lack of interest.  Ultimately Joshua finds himself in Israel as Islamic countries gather to annihilate Israel and Bible prophecies are fulfilled in fantastic but realistic enough ways to seem possible.  I enjoyed this book almost as much as the first one.  I only say almost because the first 50 pages or so seemed a little slow to me but then things took off like a rocket and the book ended with me wanting the next one in the series (which of course isn't out yet).  So now I find myself in a couple more series waiting for the authors to write more. 

Well as you can see I have been enjoying reading a lot.  It is nice to have so many books available in our day and age to read and enjoy, not to mention to learn from.  Keep on reading!

"I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library."

— Jorge Luis Borges (who was a librarian, author, professor in Argentina)

Jorge Borges