Jewel of Persia :: Reading to Know Book Club

I didn't really give you all very much warning about this title and I'm sorry for that. It sort of got lost in the shuffle of life! This month's pick was Jewel of Persia, by Roseanna M. White. The discussion is being led by Annette from This Simple Home.

I confess that I (Carrie) did not read this book. As y'all know, I'm not a terribly big fan of Christian fiction (although this is not technically that) so I wasn't sure I wanted to buy a copy of this one. I thought I'd get it from the library and discovered too late that my library doesn't have a copy. Annette graciously let me off the hook for this one but I'm very pleased that she is sharing her thoughts on it.

It should be noted that this isn't termed "Christian fiction" but "Biblical Fiction." I have an ongoing debate in my head over whether or not I like Biblical fiction. Part of me wonders what kind of trouble such books are going to cause in the future, after we've spent time digesting them. I did read Francine Rivers' A Lineage of Grace (linked to my thoughts) and did like it. I just have this question burning in the back of my brain.  For the while, I'm withholding personal judgement. ;) But here are Annette's thoughts on this title which are worth reading through:


*****
When Carrie asked me to choose a book for the Reading to Know Book Club, I deliberated for quite a while. In the end I chose a book that I had been eager to read for a couple of years. As it happens, it was not the typical book club choice, being biblical fiction, but I am glad to have read Jewel of Persia by Roseanna White.

The amazing part of this biblical fiction book is that most of the plot is actual history recorded in the Bible or the ancient Greek text called Histories by Herodutus. This is the way biblical fiction should be - in my opinion. Roseanna has a great Companion Guide where you can read more about how she used the actual events and wove them into a good story.

You likely know the story of Esther, the young Jew who becomes queen of Persia. Jewel of Persia is not so much her story as a fictional character - Kaisa's- story. Kaisa has a chance meeting that leads her to quickly become a concubine of King Xerxes. She quickly becomes the favorite of his many wives and concubines within the harem. This, of course, leads to much friction, especially with the king's own mother...who is determined to eliminate Xerxes' greatest love.

This Jewish girl accepts the terms of her marriage-the emotional upheaval of sharing a husband-though not without some difficulty.  She is also living in the palace among those who worship gods, which leads Kaisa to finally and fully rely upon the one true God.

I really appreciated how the plot's twists and turns are actually based on facts. Of course, historians didn't necessarily include the motives and specific methods behind all actions, so Roseanna White used her imagination to create a fuller story than what is documented as fact.

We were introduced to Esther early in the story as Kaisa's closest childhood friend. She plays a small role throughout the book, and as expected, becomes Queen Esther.

I had been incredibly excited to finally read Jewel of Persia. Unfortunately, I had a rather difficult month and my reading was spotty. I was more than halfway through the book before I could devote an hour (in one sitting) to it. I think this is why I enjoyed the second half of the book, especially the last quarter, so much. While the beginning definitely held my interest, it was harder for me to dive into due to reading in short bursts. I do think it is a good biblical fiction book. (For the record, this was so much better than A Reluctant Queen - another fictional account about Esther that really just irritated me.)

If you have not read Jewel of Persia yet, I would suggest reading the first chapter...and then read the book for yourself. I do recommend it.

One thing that I am still considering is the impact I have on a person by notpraying for them. I thank Roseanna for causing me to ponder this.

******
I'm rather curious myself. Thank you, Annette, for taking the time to read through it and present us to it. I really appreciated hearing your thoughts.

Did any of you read this book? I hope you'll share your thoughts with us in the comment section below or by writing up a post of your own and sharing the link!

Next month's pick:

A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. It is a surprisingly quick read and a holiday classic, so I hope you'll join in! The discussion will be lead by myself. Which is perfect irony since it's Dickens.

The Twelve Days of Christmas (Giveaway x 2!)

Ok, now it can be Christmas time, right?! Please say yes. Because I can't really hear you, I'm going to post about a Christmas book anyway. However, I think you might forgive me if you enter and win the title!

I've received two Christmas picture books in the mail recently from Sleeping Bear Press. (The first is not included in the giveaway, and the second is.)

The first being Smudge and the Book of Mistakes: A Christmas Story.

The concept for this one is sort of cute. It tells the story of a young monk, Brother Bede, who is selected by the Abbot to help illustrate the manuscript containing the Christmas story. Brother Bede is not what you would call a perfectionist, by any stretch of the imagination. (They don't call him "Smudge" for nothing!) The other monks are sure that the Abbot has made a mistake in assigning Bede to the task, but it is a mistake that works out well in the end. The moral of the story is: anyone can do great things.

Honestly, I wasn't sure what to think about this book. At one point, one of the characters makes the statement that "God gives talent and we have to meet Him halfway." I see what the author is trying to say but it comes across as, "God helps those who help themselves" which is a statement that you won't actually find in scripture and which I do not agree with. Because I wasn't quite sure what to make of the book as a whole, I asked Jonathan to read through it. He obliged me and then said he wasn't sure he really cared for it as most of the characters are practicing some form of deceit towards the others, in order to try to manipulate the events and the outcome of the manuscript. He said it came off too much as a "the ends justify the means" sort of tale and he wasn't very fond of it. We both could see what the author was trying to do, but felt that they used the wrong vocabulary words to tell the story which gave us both pause.

It's certainly a different kind of story (and I know everyone is always looking for something new and different than ye ole Frosty the Snowman) and so I wanted to present the title anyway because the issues that bothered us with the book might not bother you. The illustrations by Stephen Costanza are very fun to look at. Love the way he illustrated lights, in particular (i.e., moonlight on Smudge's face, etc.). Nicely done!

The "winning" title from the two I received, I think, is The Twelve Days of Christmas, by Dan Andreasen.

There is nothing surprising or new to the story in this particular title. It is the song, as we all know and love it. (Heh. How much do you love it?) What makes this book so fun are the illustrations by Mr. Andreasen. (Side note of interest: he was the illustrator for American Girl characters Felicity and Samantha.)

In this particular version, Anreasen uses animals to illustrate the scenes. The "eight maids a-milking" are cats and the "ten lords a-leaping" are frogs dressed in coattails. Cute (as far as frogs go)! Aligators are piping and turtles are drumming as you sing or read-along.

We have a copy of the Anne Geddes 12 Days of Christmas book but I think I'm going to bump that from the collection and insert this title in it's place. I just like it so much more and I know my children are really going to go for the animals!

I'm very excited to say that I have TWO signed copies of The Twelve Days of Christmas to give away to two of you! Would you like to win? (Silly question.) Simply leave a comment including a valid e-mail address in the comment section below. This contest is open through Friday, December 7th, and is open to U.S. Residents only.

Extra entries: Spread the word about this contest on your blog/Twitter or Facebook and leave a comment for each for more chances to win!

Thank you, Sleeping Bear Press, for sending copies of the above titles in exchange for my honest thoughts. Thank you also for your generosity in providing two additional copies of The Twelve Days of Christmas to two of my readers.

Now, may I say . . . .

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

The Tomb of Tutankhamen, by Howard Carter

The Discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamen, by Howard Carter, was simply sensational! I do not understand people who say that history is boring. What is boring about finding 3,000 year old "buried" treasure and an ancient pharaoh's mummy!?

I picked up a copy of The Tomb of Tutankahen, by Howard Carter on the aforementioned trip to the used bookstores. (Seriously - best used book shopping day EVER!) My original reason for selecting it was that Howard Carter was connected to 5th Earl of Carnarvon (a fact I discovered when reading Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey - linked to my review). That, and I've always been morbidly curious about mummies. I remember my mom teaching me about them when I was being home schooled and my being simultaneously repulsed and curious at the same time. I've never bothered to explore Ancient Egypt as an adult, but now that Bookworm1 and I are going through The Story of the World (linked to our experiences so far) I'm finding excuse and opportunity. (Really, the parent must learn before they can teach! Reading is important. Always important. If you want your kids to love learning and reading, you have to learn and read yourself!) Of course, the subject of golden treasures is much more fun to read about than, say, Algebra.

Anyhow, the copy of this book which I picked up is copyright 1954 and contains "17 color plates and 65 monochrome illustrations and two appendices." The title, as I've linked to on Amazon, advertises over 100 photographs. I'm sure a more modern printing would have a wider variety of images to choose from, and depending on which edition you pick up you'll see that the book is by "Howard Carter AND _____". My edition lists only Carter as an author and mentions that this is a collection of an installment of articles which Carter wrote about the discovery. The tomb was discovered in 1922 and he wrote these installments between the years 1923 and 1933. During that time, excavation of the tomb was still underway. Artifacts were being cleaned and examined, and there were still more questions than answers about King Tut, the Ancient Egyptians and the various items uncovered. It would be curious to read a more up-to-date edition of this book at some point. At the same time, I liked reading the installments in the order he wrote them, feeling as if I were experiencing the wonder of this treasure right alongside the 1920's audience. It's very fun to tell yourself to think 1920's as you read. It makes reading the articles ever so much better.

What does this book tell us? It tells us of Carter's (and Carnarvon's) strong belief that King Tut's tomb remained hidden in the Valley of the Kings, contrary to the opinion of other archeologists who had excavated in the area. Carter relates his passion for trying to find Tut, as well as the discouragement in the search, running out of both time and money. Then he describes finding the first step which leads to the hidden underground tomb. Then he relates the joy of discovering Tut's name on the door. He also uses fun words to describe his discoveries, keeping the (2012 thinking like a 1920's) reader waiting with bated breath to see what happens next.

"Here was the tantalizing sealed doorway, and on either side of it, mounting guard over the entrance, stood the life-size wooden statues of the king already described. Strange and imposing figures these, even as we first saw them, surrounded and half concealed by other objects: as they stand now in the empty chapter, with nothing in front of them to distract the eye, and beyond them, through the open door, the golden shrine half visible, they present an appearance that is almost painfully impressive." (Chapter 7, A survey of the Antechamber)

In today's world we are awed by so little. You have to work to stretch your imagination to understand how thrilling such a discovery would be. Carter is clearly working hard in his articles to excite the reader and describe what he sees inside the tomb so that the readers will be able to see and feel things for themselves. He is very descriptive in an enchanting way. Clearly, he was passionate about his work and wanted to share the joy of it with others. Frankly, it's hard to capture that sense of wonder but I think it's important that we do -- not just in reading this book but in our every day lives. Technology really messes with our ability to be imaginative and I hate that. I, myself, am prone to watch more movies or play games on the iPad (Tetris. Hello, my long lost Nintendo friend!) than I am to sit and just imagine fun things and fun stories. (Ok. Jonathan might find my imagination a bit untamed at times.) We've made so many discoveries that, by now, our modern minds are used to the idea of treasures being uncovered and every mystery explained. But back in 1920's, Ancient Egypt was still full of mystery and this was a great and wonderful discovery!

Even then, reading this book as a modern, there are passages that can jar you out of pretending to be reading in another era. For example, Carter talks about the workers who helped to uncover the tomb:

"They labored like ants, and although the temperature in the Valley was ranging from 97 degrees to 105 degrees Fahrenheit, and the air grey with dust, their swing and go suggested an enthusiasm for their task. It was a pleasure to see them as they worked." (Chapter 16, The Opening of the Three Tombs)

My modern mind questions the workers' enthusiasm for their task. And I think he would not get away with saying that it was a "pleasure to watch them work" in today's society. Probably he would also not refer to them as ants. (He didn't, really, but people would will say so.) Of course, I think he would be raked over the coals for a great many things these days.

One question I had as I read the book was why they disturbed the mummy and the tomb in the first place. Now, let me hastily clarify by saying that I see great historical value in entering the tomb and learning as much as we can from it and the mummy. In one of the appendixes, Douglas E. Derry MB, ChB, who examined the mummy, explains the following:

"A word may fittingly be said here in defense of the unwrapping and examination of Tutankhamen. Many persons regard such an investigation as in the nature of sacrilege, and consider that the king should have been left undisturbed. From what I have said as to the persistent robberies of the tombs from the most ancient times up to the present, it will be understood that when once such a discovery as that of the tomb of Tutankhamen has been made, and news of the wealth of objects contained in it has become known, to leave anything whatever of value in the tomb is to court trouble. The knowledge that objects of immense value lay hidden a few feet below ground would certainly invite the attempt to obtain them, and while the employment of a strong guard might suffice for a time to prevent any such attempt meeting with success, any remission of vigilance would instantly be seized upon, and objects which are now safely housed for all time in the Museum of Antiquities would have been destroyed, while others would appear in a more or less dilapidated state in the hands of dealers through whom they woud soon be dispersed to all parts of the civilized world."

He makes a very good point, I think!

If you are studying Ancient Egypt, or are just curious, I think I would urge the reader to find a copy of The Tomb of Tutankhamen, by Howard Carter, that is not updated with additional photograph or commentary from modern scholars. First, dive into these articles with the intent to view his discoveries through eyes of wonder. Picture the tomb and the items in your mind's eye as Carter describes them. Think about the hardships and struggles involved and how enormous this discovery was. Appreciate the difficulties in travel, the great extent Carter and others went to preserving these artifacts and the many questions that will still remain when you finish the book. Those questions are good for they will make you want to read further and learn more! Start simply, build up. Enjoy the mystery of it and appreciate the beauty uncovered.

I'm so glad that I read this book, and I'm equally excited to say that it looks as if we're going to be able to visit the traveling King Tut exhibit in Seattle here in the next few weeks. Looking forward to this -- very much!!

What's On Your Nightstand: December

Carrie is doing her monthly Nightstand Happy Dance. Time to check in with the goals and set new ones! I love the creation of PLANS. ;)

I confess I was cringing at the thought of pulling up last month's nightstand post because I was afraid I had not done so well. I did better than I thought! Not as good as I would have liked, but ok.

Personally, I was hoping to plow through many more review copies during the month of November than I was actually able to do. That just means I'm going to have to work on more of those in December (or speed through them as fast as possible in my few remaining days in November).

From last month's night stand I accomplished the following:

Stressed-Less Living - linked to my review which posted over at 5 Minutes for Books. I felt rather so-so towards this one. Not a huge favorite that I will remember always.

Double Blind, by Brandilyn Collins - This was my first Collins book. I found it . . . humorous and disturbing.

Judging a Book by its Lover - Linked to my brief thoughts.

Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as a Christian Tradition - Linked to my review in which I highly, highly recommend that others read this. Really, do!

Women, Slaves and the Gender Debate - Linked to my thoughts. This was the review copy which I got stuck on and spent much, much more time than I though I would reading. It's a very good book to read, it just took me awhile to work through.

What are my goals for December?

#1 - Dickens' A Christmas Carol in conjunction with the Reading to Know Book Club (and just because I really want to re-read it every year).

#2 - Mrs. Miracle, by Debbie MacComber. I read Call Me Mrs. Miracle (linked to thoughts) last year, not realizing it was the second book in the Mrs. Miracle series. I found a copy of Mrs. Miracle at Goodwill or some place and snatched it up with the intent to read it this Christmas.

#3 - Christmas With Anne - I've read and reviewed it before (back in 2008?! *gasp*) and I think it's time to re-read it!

I would definitely like to get a head start on some Montgomery reading in preparation for the following:

The FIFTH annual Lucy Maud Montgomery Challenge which starts January 2013!!!!

More info on that in the very near future.

We're also winding down the Fall Into Reading Challenge and I still have a few books on the list that I need to get to. Specifically:

1. Choosing Gratitude
2. Angels in the Architecture
3. The Second World War, Volume 2: Their Finest Hour

Tired of hearing me mention those? I'm tired of typing them up as "unread." Time to get reading!

So what are your reading plans as we wrap up our 2012 reading year?!

Getting to Know You (link up)

Ok, ready to get to know each other better? If nothing else, you'll get to know me better. (And I get away without having to write a book review fresh off of Thanksgiving holidays! ;)

Last week I posted a few suggested questions that you could answer and I'll pick and choose a few of those for my own post. (Because hey, I already did the "hard work" of thinking about them!)

Ultimately, I'll answer 7 questions. Why seven? Because seven is the number of completion in the Bible and I've always liked it. (I use to want seven kids. Completion. Get it? But then I had my first.)


Question #1 - Do you go to church and, if so, what denomination are you a part of and why?

Yes, I do go to church. Now that you are all surprised by that answer (read: sarcasm), I'll be more specific and let you know that we attend an Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Every time I say that I conjur up images in my mind of incense and swinging cross necklesses. It's not like that. You can learn more about the OPC on their website if you are truly curious. (It is conservative.)

Each congregation differs in personality and in some practicies. We live on the West Coast and are in a university town and I would have to say that our church is more liberal in many ways than I am used to (having been raised in the south). As in most churches, there are always things I would like to see change. ;) But because I also firmly believe that there is no such thing as a perfect church (so long as humans are in them) we must commit ourselves to a body, learn from the teaching of the word, worship corporately and use the gifts and talents which God has given us to minister to others in His church.

Question #2 - What social issue are you the most passionate about?

I would have to say abortion. I believe that God is the giver and sustainer of life and that we are not permitted to take life. I believe that life begins the moment of conception and that every human being has purpose and meaning. I do not believe that God makes mistakes and that He is working, always, for our ultimate good - even in what we think are bad situations.

Question #3 - What is your greatest personality strength? Weakness?

This is always the awkward question in an interview process, isn't it? What to say about one's self?

I would say that I have learned (both in real life and online) that one of my greatest strengths is in persuading others to think or believe in certain ways. As is usually the case, one's greatest strength is also their greatest weakness. I have also learned (the hard way!) that I need to be careful not to always share my opinion - or to be slower in sharing them - as I can unintentionally change circumstances or set activities in motion that no one is really prepared for (myself included).

I do think it is important to be aware of one's strengths (they are gifts!) as well as their weaknesses (they are challenges which keep one humble!) as you can make or break relationships when you understand how you come across to others.

Question #4 - What do you like best about your family?

I'll answer as to my immediate family only. This includes: Jonathan, myself, and our three children. The thing I like about it is also the thing I confess to not like about it. (Again, it's our strength and our weakness.)

I like that we are different from one another. Mostly, I like that there is one who is more different than four of us. (huh?!) We adopted our second born from S. Korea and he is very different from us - both in appearance and in personality. As to the appearance, we don't notice it except for when we're out in public and other people notice it. (We've never run into anyone who has been negative about our difference. All responses have been remarkably positive.)

Adoption is a beautiful, wonderful thing. It is also a very challenging thing as you learn to incorporate gifts and traits which are completely unfamiliar to you into your home and family. Our agency prepped us in several classes and courses to prepare for the unfamiliar but real life is different than a story you overhear. Sometimes Bookworm2 will do something and we are left wondering, "Where'd the heck did THAT come from!?" and the answer always is: "We don't know. And we won't know." When your natural born children do say or do something in a particular way, you know that they "got that from their dad" or whatever. With Bookworm2 it's all a guess. And that's ok but it means we have to work hard to accept things we don't know or don't understand. It's not the easiest thing in the world but it is the best thing in the world for us.

Jonathan and I are both first-borns (a fact I like!) and we are always operating with a plan and a mission in mind. Bookworm2 changed us - changes us - and causes us to pause and reevaluate things in light of his personality. This is a very. good. thing. We have been very blessed to have him such a huge part of our lives. (I do not say that lightly! We are indeed blessed.)

To give a quick example to further illustrate what I mean by blessed: Bookworm2 is actually way more friendly and outgoing than we are. So he stretches us to stop and talk to Random Stranger on the Street and be friendly when we are otherwise in a great hurry. He really loves people. Not to say that we hate them - because we don't. It's just that we're so focused on our projects and missions that we don't slow down and notice others so easily. So he is good for us, you see!

Question #5 - Which book blogger have you know the longest?

"B" from Dwell in Possibility. How long have I known her? Since both of us were wearing diapers. (Our families went to church together and our parents were friends.) We were part of the same home school group growing up and the first book club I was ever a part of us was organized by her. She is really cool and crazy smart and I always found her to be intimidating. I still do. ;) She is also one of the most different-in-a-very-interesting-way sort of people I have ever known. I mean that as a great compliment as so many in our social circle were so very alike that being different was a good thing.

My dad considered her dad one of his best friends and when my dad died, B's parents came to see him at the very end. They showed great kindness and love for my parents - and myself- during a remarkably difficult time and I'll not soon forget that! B comes from good stock! ;)

Question #6 - If you were to write a book, what genre would it be?

It would definitely be non-fiction. It would likely be relating to my faith. And I'm too immature and young to be writing anything at this point in my life. If it ever happens, I woud have to assume that it'll be non-fiction unless lightning strikes and I'm overwhelmed by a story idea.

Question #7 - What is your idea of a perfect day?

The perfect day very much involves the following:

1. Sleeping very well, waking up no earlier than 8 a.m.;
2. Doing something that I've never done before, i.e., enjoying a new experience of some sort;
3. Doing said new and interesting thing with people I love; and
4. Having time to read a chapter or two in a really great book before going to bed.

If those four things happen (and, on rare occasions, they do!) then I will have had the perfect day.

Bonus question: What's your favorite month of the year?

DECEMBER!



A few pictures:

Me. Age 34. (Having recently cut my hair short for the first time in awhile!)
Some pics of my children:



On the left: Bookworms 1 and 2 playing Knight and Dragon.  On the right: All my bookworms reading books in a tent, escaping the Oregon rainy season.
Now it's your turn! Do you have a post to share to help me (and the rest of us!) get to know you better? I hope so! Leave a comment with your link in the comment section below!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you and yours enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration! See y'all next week!

Getting to Know You (Outside of the Books)

Getting to know you,
Getting to know all about you.
Getting to like you,
Getting to hope you like me.

Getting to know you,
Putting it my way,
But nicely,
You are precisely,
My cup of tea.
So, I'm curious. I know a good many of you who comment around here regularly. I follow many of your blogs as well and have gotten to know you and your families. Some of us met in bloggy book world and have a regular habit of e-mailing one another and have picked up various conversations based on posts that either you or I have written. We share our expanded thoughts and sometimes, more importantly, prayer requests concerning matters of importance in our lives. Not to be overly sentimental (but somewhat sentimental, for sure!) I have thoroughly enjoyed my more personal interactions with you.

Now, I follow a good many blogs but I can't follow every. Yet, I would like to know some of you better, based on comments you've left from time to time, or e-mails that you have sent. I was thinking it could be fun to do a bit of a Get to Know you blog post after Thanksgiving.

The idea? Write up a post sharing a little bit about yourself. Not just your run-of-the-mill blog memes (although those are fine and can be fun also) but try to get a little bit more personal than usual. Since many of us are discussing our life through the books we read, I am personally curious to learn things like:

1. Do you attend church and, if so, what denomination are you a part of?
2. What social issue are you the most passionate about?
3. Do you home school/use the public system or enroll your kids in private school? Any particular reason why?
4. How long have you been married? How many kids do you have, or want to have? Have you ever thought of adopting, or have you?
5. What is your greatest personality strength? Weakest?
6. What is your favorite Bible verse or passage? Why?
7. What is your real name? What does it mean? (Sometimes I don't know your real name. Just a screen name. Sometimes that's intentional and if so, that's perfectly fine! I totally get issues surrounding online security. But if it's just an oversight that I don't know your real name, would you mind telling me what it is?!)

Then there are random fun questions:

1. What do you like best about your family?
2. What's your favorite color? Why?
3. Are you a bold and trendy dresser, or are clothes "not your thing?"
4. Are you a foodie? What makes you love food so?
5. If you were to write a book, what genre would it be? (Let's throw in a book question!)
6. What is your favorite thing about where you live (country, neighborhood, etc.)? Least?
7.  What is your idea of the perfect day?

Come up with your own questions and answers or steal some of the above suggestions to get you and your post started. Share pictures! A favorite recipe! Or your favorite holiday tradition! I'm just curious to meet some, and get to know others better, who float around Reading to Know. (Of course, if I know you well, I'm still interested in such a post.) Tell me what the general purpose of your blog is! Anything. Just talk. ;)

I'll post a more personal "Getting to Know You" post about myself on Monday the 26th and, if I get my act together, I'll include a linky for you guys. (Otherwise, leave comments and links in the comment section, per usual.)

Yeah, getting to know each other online might in some ways be considered impersonal. However, I've developed very meaningful relationships with a few of you and always like to know what prompts various people to leave particular comments so I hope you will consider participating so that I can get to know you better!

The Shepherd Leader at Home, by Timothy Witmer

Jonathan here -- Carrie's husband -- reviewing a book written for, well, husbands. I recognize husbands make up a severe minority in readership of this blog, so the rest of y'all will just have to bear with me.

The Shepherd Leader at Home: Knowing, Leading, Protecting, and Providing for Your Familyis a new title by Timothy Witmer, published by Crossway, which I was especially curious to read after seeing its endorsements by J. Ligon Duncan, J. I. Packer, Sinclair Ferguson, and other theologians I have respect for. The last few years have seen more than a few books on marriage and family come off the presses, and I was interested to see what particular insights this one held. (Note the uncanny resemblance of this book's title to Family Shepherds by Voddie Baucham Jr., another review I posted recently. Linked to my thoughts.)

This title is a follow-up to Witmer's earlier book directed at elders and pastors, The Shepherd Leader: Achieving Effective Shepherding in Your Church, which I've heard good things about but not read personally. Both titles approach the subject of Christ in the role of shepherd, emphasizing lessons that we, as leaders in the home or the church, can apply to our own conduct and relationships.

Witmer divides the book into four sections, highlighting the responsibilities of a good "shepherd":

• The Shepherd Knows His Family. This emphasizes the generous way Jesus spent his time in the presence of his disciples and others, building close, trusting relationships. Obviously, this was necessary for the disciples as they learned to be imitators of Christ. In addition to sacrificing his time spent with them, Jesus also frequently turned the conversation to issues of spiritual significance, rather than just maintaining surface-level friendships. This is a quality that we husbands can, and should, develop in relationships within our own families.
  
  Witmer turns immediately to his (lengthy) practical advice on the subject, mostly comprised of references to his own experiences and a series of tips for effective communication. (This didn't particularly strike a chord with me, but that's probably just me.)
• The Shepherd Leads His Family. This section opens with the example of Joshua's famous line, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Josh 24:15) and Psalm 23's description of God's leadership over us:
  

  He leads be beside still waters.
    He restores my soul.
  He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for His name's sake.

  Witmer does a good job identifying what Christlike leadership should look like (compared to the "Clean up your room!" commands of a drill sergeant, and the equally ineffective desperate pleas of a father who's lost any semblance of influence over his family).
• The Shepherd Provides For His Family. In this (the shortest section, at about 20 pages) we are exhorted to give our families a balance of "material provision" and "spiritual provision". Many temptations seek to turn our attention as fathers solely to one of these types of provision, at the expense of the other. Both are necessary for the well-being of a family.
• The Shepherd Protects His Family. In this, Witmer considers the issues confronting our families in the context of today's culture that rages against God in almost every way, and seeks to identify what steps we can take to protect our marriage and children from being led astray. This area of responsibility is one that has seen much neglect in the Christian church, and the book gives a clarion call to fathers to show love by exercising protection over their families, publicly and privately.

The Shepherd Leader at Home is a quick read, at about 150 pages, and it's more down-to-earth and conversational in style than an academic treatment of the role of fathers like what you might find in more theological literature.

Still, I found it to have some helpful reminders, and will probably come back and re-read it occasionally as my own family dynamics change over time.

Thanks, Crossway Books, for sending a copy to me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Anatole, by Eve Titus :: Read Aloud Thursday

It's time for another Read Aloud Thursday at Hope is the Word!

Yesterday Bookworm2 kept asking if I'd read a book of his choice to him (we were in the middle of reading several books for school) and I consented (because it was probably the least I could do). He said he wanted to read "the cat book" and brought me our copy of Anatole and the Cat, by Eve Titus. It had been awhile since we had read it and I was glad to revisit it.

In Anatole and the Cat, Anatole is having trouble working his job at the cheese factory because there is a cat on the loose who is distracting him from his duties. Now, no one else at the factory knows that Anatole is a mouse. He works at night when all of the other workers go home and the owner of the company, M'sieu Duval, communicates with Anatole through memos. Anatole has a nose for good cheeses and Duval relies on this late night worker to leave memos about how he can improve his varieties of cheese. Because of Anatole's suggestions, Duval's cheeses are the most loved in all of France! Anatole is therefore a valuable worker and it behooves M'sieu Duval to help solve the cat problem so that his employee will be able to do his work properly.

I found Anatole and the Cat at a used book store at some point in time. The reason I purchased it was because it was written by Eve Titus. You might not recognize her name, but you might very well be aware of another of her mice characters - Basil of Baker Street. (Linked to my review.) That book, of course, is the inspiration for Disney's The Great Mouse Detective. (That was one of my favorite Disney movies growing up, although the bat scared me spitless a time or two.)

What I did not realize, until I was re-reading
Anatole and the Cat yesterday, is that this is the second book in a series of books about Anatole! (Anatole and the Cat, by the way, is a Caldecott Honor book.)

Other titles include:

Anatole (1956)
Anatole and the Cat (1957)
Anatole and the Piano (1966)
Anatole and the Pied Piper (1979)
Anatole and the Poodle (1965)
Anatole and the Robot (1960)
Anatole and the Thirty Thieves (1969)
Anatole and the Toy Shop (1970)
Anatole in Italy (1963)
Anatole Over Paris (1961)

It was after Anatole that Titus began writing the Basil of Baker Street series.

Needless to say, my Amazon wishlist just grew a bit larger and I'll be browsing used bookstores for the rest of the Anatole books. They are charming, being scattered about with French words and phrases (so if you are studying France with your kids, this is a great series to explore!). The books as a whole apparently also express the value of hard work and that is something that children today can definitely stand to think more about.  The particular story that we own is complex and interesting, both for adults as well as children. All in all, Anatole is a treat and a delight to read and we highly recommend them (to you and to ourselves - as we chase after the stories we have yet to read)! It's always fun to discover that there are more books available by one of your favorite story tellers. Happy thought indeed!

Four Little Women of Roxby, by May Hollis Barton

The Four Little Women of Roxby, by May Hollis Barton was another "grab on a whim" find at a somewhat local used book store. (I love poking around used book stores in small towns. It's like going on a treasure hunt!) I was browsing the Middle Grade section and stumbled across this title and noted the copyright (being 1926) and just could not resist. I selected it on the same trip when I picked up The Magic Pudding (linked to my review) and I'm thinkin' that was a pretty successful outing!

After I finished reading this book I decided to do some internet research to find out more about the author May Hollis Barton. There is precious little information about this title online. What I did discover was this:

1. Four Little Women of Roxby is part of a 15 book series published by Cupples & Leon between 1926 and 1932. These 15 books were published as The Barton Books for Girls.

2. May Hollis Barton was the publishers "house name." In other words, there is no May Hollis Barton. An author by the name of W. Bert Foster is credited with having written some of the titles in the Barton Books series, but I can't find any evidence that he wrote Four Little Women of Roxby. In fact, I can't find any evidence whatsoever for who actually wrote it.

There is remarkably little of a background story for this series or this book online. I did find a copy of this advertisement for the "author" May Hollis Barton:

May Hollis Barton is a new writer for girls who is bound to win instant popularity. Her style is somewhat of a reminder of that of Louisa May Alcott and Mrs. L.T. Meade, but thoroughly up-to-date in plot and action. Clean tales that all the girls will enjoy reading. - from a Cupples & Leon advertisement

Here is the list of the 15 Barton Books for Girls along with the shared advertisement.

I would say that the advertisement was accurate. Four Little Women of Roxby does have a distinct Alcott flair to it. In fact, once I opened the book I was afraid I was reading a Little Women rip off. I was grateful to see differences in the story fairly quickly. (Still, there are some similarities.)

The plot is this:

The four orphaned sisters, Jean, Alice, Corny and Bab, live on the outskirts of the town of Roxby. They have very little money and are struggling to make ends meet. Each of them have talents particular to their character which makes one sister suitable for dressmaking and the other for tending to shops. Babs is the youngest and she is plagued with some mysterious illness which keeps her in bed and requires expensive medicine to treat the disease. For a time, the girls are unsure whether not she'll pull through but from the opening pages of this book you know that this is a happily-every-after type of story and that everything will be fine in the end.

The full title, being Four Little Women of Roxby or The Queer Old Lady Who Lost Her Way, gives clue to the other aspect of the story. In the dead of winter an old lady comes stumbling up to the girl's small house and is clearly in need of shelter. She was on her way to visit her half-sister but lost the card with both her sister's name and address on it. (She also cannot remember her half sister's name.) Being that there is no way to contact this woman's relations, the girls take her in and dub her their "Godmother" for, as it turns out, she is a skilled nurse who helps bring good ol' Bab back to life.

Certainly the writing leaves something to be desired. I have a feeling that The Barton Books for Girls were formulaic, much like Nancy Drew. You know what's coming. Everything is very predictable. Yet it is a very sweet story at the same time that makes for very quick and pleasant reading. I'm more fond of this book for history sake than for the actual story. I'm extremely curious to learn more about The Barton Books for Girls and wish that there was more information about them online. (Anyone know of anything?)

I'm definitely going to be keeping Four Little Women of Roxby on my bookshelf. I also definitely will have my children

Tiger Tales Fall 2012 - Part 2

Yesterday I told you about some of the titles that we received in the Tiger Tales Books Fall 2012 release box. I promised that today I would tell you about our top three favorites and mentioned that I had copies to give away!

Everything I said was true. ;) These three titles were our top three favorites from the fall line up and I have a copy of each one to give away to one of you! So, which titles were our favorite?

Counting Birds by Jing Jing Tsong is - hands down! - Bookworm3's favorite. This is a counting book which is quite catchy in that it tells a little story of the birds on the singing tree in a sing-song fashion.

One bird singing in the singing tree. Tweet, come sing with me!
Two birds singing in the singing tree. Tweet! Tweet!
Three birds singing in the singing tree. Tweet! Tweet! Tikka-ka-ka!

And so on and so forth with new birds making distinctly different noises to accompany each numbered page spread. In the end, there is one cat napping in the napping tree which is a bit of a surprise. Bookworm3, at age 18 months, absolutely loves this book. There are not many which she will sit and ask for multiple re-reads of, but this is one of them. Her brothers weary of it.

The Really, Really, Really Big Dinosaur is quite popular with my boys (ages 3 and 6) because it is about dinosaurs and one of the dinos is a "bad guy." They don't quite get the fact that this is a story about bullies. There is a really big dinosaur who wants to steal the little dinosaur's candy. The little one insists that this must not be done and mentions that he has a really, really big dinosaur friend who will protect him. The really big and greedy "bad guy" dinosaur ends up learning that he's not the biggest, baddest guy in the bunch. Honestly, I feel sorta "meh" about the storyline but at the same time, I do not object to it. The boys like it a whole heaping lot and we're ok with it so it made it to our top favorites list.

I mentioned yesterday that David Conway had a new book out and this is it! The Great Fairy Tale Disaster is like The Great Nursery Rhyme Disaster in that it has a disgruntled fairy tale character being displeased with its own story. In the case of this new title, the big, bad wolf is tired of being so big and bad and tries to find another fairy tale to join in on. In the end, he too is contented enough with hopping down the chimney one more time. Or two.

This one is very cute and since I tend to like fairy tales more than I like reading nursery rhymes, this is one that I am content reading over again. As this title is liked by all - it is our top favorite book from the latest releases from Tiger Tales.

The happy news, of course, is that Tiger Tales has offered to give away one copy of each of these three titles to one of you! Would you care to win? Simply leave a comment below - including a valid e-mail address! - saying so. This contest is open to U.S. Residents only and will be open through Thursday, November 15th.

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THE WINNER, as selected by Random.org IS #6- BLUEROSE. Congrats!

Thank you, Tiger Tales Books, for sending copies of the above title my way in exchange for my family's honest opinions of them. Thank you also for providing additional copies of the above three titles for one of my readers!