What's On Your Nightstand - June

It's time again for another What's On Your Nightstand which is a monthly meme hosted by 5 Minutes for Books. The basic idea of the meme is to share your reading goals and plans for the upcoming month.

I missed last month and don't even remember the month before (not looking it up this time!) and so I shall start with a clean slate. At the time you are reading this post, I will be returning home with Bookworm4 (!!!). More about that in the near future but for the present, let's just say that the addition of the fourth child is certainly cutting back on my reading time. (And that's perfectly ok!)

Because I don't anticipate much reading time, I'll keep my own expectations low and only list a few of the books that I have laying about that I'd like to get to sooner, rather than later.

Books I KNOW I will read:

1. I will keep up with my Bible reading. (I've been reading through using a Chronilogical Bible which is divided up into one year of reading. So far I'm on track!)

2. I will read this month's book club selection: King Solomon's Mines.

To reiterate about the Reading to Know Classics Book Club - you are welcome to jump in at any time! We alternate between reading children and adult classics to help busy readers keep up with the pace. We welcome people to jump in whichever month they'd like. To learn more about the classics-based book club and view our reading schedule for the year see this post.


Books I HOPE to read:

1. Next month (July) we will kick off the FIFTH annual Chronicles of Narnia Reading Challenge. (5 years!! Can you believe it?!?)


I'm kind of thinking that I should start reading ahead on this ASAP so that I can actually participate and lead off on the discussions! I absolutely love this particular challenge and I can't wait to visit Narnia again!

Personally I want to re-read The Horse and His Boy and The Last Battle.

Heads up if you plan to participate!

2. My in-town book club is reading The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society this month. I read this book back in 2009 and I think it's time for a re-read! I'm looking forward to it as I remember it being very fun! (I'm not re-reading my review - linked - because I want to be re-surprised. My memory being what it is, I should be able to enjoy the story again like new. ) ;)

Beyond that, I won't plan for much.

:)

What's on your nightstand? I'm excited to find out!

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, by Joan Aiken

I am so glad that Bluerose chose The Wolves of Willoughby Chase for our book club selection for the month of May. Furthermore, I'm glad I read it! Such a fun and intriguing read.

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase is the first in a series of books by Aiken written as part of the Wolves Chronicles. Here is the entire list of books:

The Whispering Mountain (1968), a prequel to the series
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (1962)
Black Hearts in Battersea (1964)
Nightbirds on Nantucket (1966)
The Stolen Lake (1981)
Limbo Lodge (1999); U.S. title, Dangerous Games
The Cuckoo Tree (1971)
Dido and Pa (1986)
Is (1992); U.S. title, Is Underground
Cold Shoulder Road (1995)
Midwinter Nightingale (2003)
The Witch of Clatteringshaws (2005)

As the books do not follow a single main character, it is my understanding that you can read the books in any particular order without suffering any confusion. Generally speaking though, it is recommended that you read the books in the order that they were written. (I assume that advice includes the prequel.)

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase is the first in the series and it tells the story of cousins Bonnie and Sylvia who have been left in the care of a Governess by the name of Miss Slighcarp while Bonnie's parents are traveling overseas to improve her mother's health. Miss Slighcarp is not all she seems and her plans for Bonnie's family estate are quite alarming. After Bonnie's parents leave, Miss Slighcarp fires all of the servants and ships both Bonnie and Sylvia off to a boarding "school" that is run more like a workhouse than a school. The girls are miserable and alone and the book chronicles their journey trying to restore things to rights.

The wolves mentioned in the title of the book appear in the first half of the story and then disappear altogether. The wolves surround the family property and are quite aggressive with anyone who might be wandering through the woods. Strangely, Miss Slighcarp is never bothered by these fierce beasts. However, as I say, the wolves do not play a prominent role in the book after the first half so I'm not entirely certain of their purpose or history. I do suspect that if I were to read the rest of the books in this series, I would understand. As it is, they add a creepy and mysterious factor to this particular title but my interest in the book lies in what is happening with Bonnie and Sylvia and not the wolves.

The book does have dark, mysterious undertones but nothing too scary. I wasn't certain whether or not I should read the book aloud to my kids because I wasn't familiar with the storyline. Now, having read it, I think my seven and five year old would find this title very exciting if I were to read it aloud to them. I rather regret not having included them in the read. I have zero qualms in handing it over as an independent read and will probably do that shortly.

One thing I noticed while reading The Wolves of Willoughby Chase was how Aiken writes this children's story with such skill that it makes it not only exciting for a young reader but intriguing for an older one. I kept thinking that this book could easily have become an adult book if Aiken had added more detail and had let the plot unfold a little slower. I would not have minded some further character development as it would have only added to my love of the story. After I finished reading this, I looked up information about Aiken which I shared last week. One thing of note is that Aiken is said to have been skilled as a writer such that she was able to write for all ages and I find that completely believable. It's easy to tell how she almost reigns herself in a bit to keep the story engaging and interesting for the child reader. Yet the writing is not so dumbed down that it's a drag of a reader for an adult. It's hard to explain but it's very notable when reading.

Speaking of reading - I hope that you will eventually give this one a chance if you did not read with us this past month. It is full of mysterious, adventurous fun!

Note: this is not the conclusion post. You have until Friday, May 30th to complete this read. Should be fairly easy to accomplish!

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

F. Scott Fitzgerald began work on his magnum opus, The Great Gatsby,  in 1923. In 1925 it was published to mixed reviews. In its first year the book sold only 20,000 copies and Fitzgerald pocketed less than $6,000 in profit. It was not a very promising beginning.

 Fitzgerald had hoped was that this book would establish him as a serious, great writer. What he instead experienced was disappointment that the public didn't seem to care much for it. He blamed himself, in large part, because at the time of publication women were the primary reading audience and he had not created a likable female character with which to entice readers. In 1940 Fitzgerald died, believing that his work was going to be forgotten.

The Great Gatsby received a resurgence in readers and popularity in the late 1940's, post World War II. I have to wonder if that's because people were reminiscing about the "good old days" before the war changed everything. Perhaps, wanting to go back in time, society reached back a couple of decades and tried to relax in a society that they used to know. Whatever the reason, this book became popular a few decades after its initial release and was soon integrated into the high school reading curriculum. From there, as they say, the rest is history. High schoolers everywhere have read this book. Those of us who didn't manage that (such as myself) are making up for lost time by reading it as adults.

I'm really glad to say that I did not read The Great Gatsby in high school. I say that only because it would have meant that I would have to spent more years of my life regretting the fact that I'm familiar with the story. Heh. I jest. Sort of. I can't say that I cared very much for the story but, since it has been deemed a "must read" classic, I also can't say I regret getting the job done. My in-town book club agreed to read this book as several of us missed it earlier in life and wanted to play a bit of catch-up. (I am not alone!) In fact, we meet tonight to discuss the book and watch the (1974!!!) movie version. I'm doing my research ahead of time to be able to contribute more to the discussion other than, "Ugh. So glad I'm done!"

If you are unfamiliar with the storyline, I'll shamelessly steal from Amazon to fill you in:

A portrait of the Jazz Age in all of its decadence and excess, Gatsby captured the spirit of the author's generation and earned itself a permanent place in American mythology. Self-made, self-invented millionaire Jay Gatsby embodies some of Fitzgerald's - and his country's - most abiding obsessions: money, ambition, greed, and the promise of new beginnings. "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter--tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... And one fine morning--" Gatsby's rise to glory and eventual fall from grace becomes a kind of cautionary tale about the American Dream.

It's also a love story, of sorts, the narrative of Gatsby's quixotic passion for Daisy Buchanan. The pair meet five years before the novel begins, when Daisy is a legendary young Louisville beauty and Gatsby an impoverished officer. They fall in love, but while Gatsby serves overseas, Daisy marries the brutal, bullying, but extremely rich Tom Buchanan. After the war, Gatsby devotes himself blindly to the pursuit of wealth by whatever means - and to the pursuit of Daisy, which amounts to the same thing. "Her voice is full of money," Gatsby says admiringly, in one of the novel's more famous descriptions. His millions made, Gatsby buys a mansion across Long Island Sound from Daisy's patrician East Egg address, throws lavish parties, and waits for her to appear. When she does, events unfold with all the tragic inevitability of a Greek drama, with detached, cynical neighbor Nick Carraway acting as chorus throughout. Spare, elegantly plotted, and written in crystalline prose, The Great Gatsby is as perfectly satisfying as the best kind of poem.

There are many themes fit for discussion in this book, which is probably why it is on many a library's recommended book club list: it's a classic and it's about doing everything wrong and nothing right in an age when anything goes. (Sound familiar? Oh yes, let's read it again!) What I do like about it is that each character who has made poor choices pays the price for their decision. This is not a happy book and I'm glad to say that. Not a single character stood up for right, or defended it. Each person is out seeking their own pleasures and they receive them, hallow and shallow though they might be. You can feel the depression each character suffers from within the first few pages (making this short book a long read).

Themes present: discontent (each character suffers from this), racism (Fitzgerald believed in the supremacy of whites and that is abundantly and abhorrently clear as he references other races within these pages), marriage (no one values it), religion and truth (does God see what men cannot?), and also wealth (and what it can afford). If you are looking for a quick explanation on any one of these themes, I found this helpful website which takes a quick peek into some of the ideas expressed in this novel.

Interesting facts about this book and Fitzgerald:

• Fitzgerald was the originator of the phrase "the jazz age" which refers, of course, to the 1920's.
• Gatsby's estate in the book is thought to be modeled after Oheka Castle which is the second largest private estate in America, located in New York. For $595 a night you could stay in one of their Gatsby Suites!
• The character of Daisy Buchanan was based on a former girlfriend of Fitzgerald, Ginevra King. King came from a wealthy family and Fitzgerald did not. His relationship with her has been noted by some scholars as one of the "most important" of his life -- including even that of his wife. (Depressing.) In one of Fitzgerald's ledgers he noted that King's father once said, "Poor boys shouldn't think of marrying rich girls."
• Fitzgerald was named after his second cousin (three times removed!), Frances Scott Key.
• The following titles were considered for the book, prior to The Great Gatsby being decided upon: Among Ash-Heaps and Millionaires; Trimalchio; Trimalchio in West Egg; On the Road to West Egg; Under the Red, White, and Blue; Gold-Hatted Gatsby and The High-Bouncing Lover.
• The book first appeared on screen in 1926 as a silent film. The Fitzgeralds attended a showing but walked out of the film with his wife remarking that it was "rotten and awful and terrible."

I kind of think that the book is much the same but - ! It is now considered "the great American novel." And now I can say that I have read it, which is what I wanted to be able to do. Go me.

Joan Aiken

Every so often I like to take some time to get to know the authors of the books I read just a little bit better. Lately I haven't managed to find the time to do much of this, but last week I was able to poke around the web a bit and learn about Joan Aiken, the author of this month's classics book club read, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase.

Aiken is an interesting character, to be sure. To begin, she was born on my birthday - September 4th - in East Sussex in 1924. (I guess, technically, I was born on her birthday.)  Her father was the famous American poet Conrad Aiken and her mother was Canadian-born Jessie MacDonald. Joan's parents marriage was dissolved when she was five years old. Her father remained in England for a time but eventually moved back to the U.S. Her mother married an Englishman and Joan lived with her mother and her new husband. Joan Aiken was home schooled for the first twelve years of her life, after which she attended Wychwood School for Girls in Oxford.

Like her father before her, Joan had a knack for writing and frequently penned short stories. She said she began writing on her fifth birthday, always working on new stories. Her first short story for adults was accepted for publishing when she was 17 years old. (Not bad!) All told, by the end of her life she had published over 100 books so if you have enjoyed reading The Wolves of Willoughby Chase you'll be delighted to know that there are many more titles to choose from, including several in the Wolves Chronicles.

Aiken enjoyed reading ghost stories and the tales she read and stories she listened to definitely influenced her own work. Her writing is frequently described as being supernatural in nature. She also enjoyed placing her stories in an alternate version of history. For example, in the Wolves Chronicles she writes as if James II was not deposed and in these same books supporters of the House of Hanover are always engaged in a bit of a spat with their monarch. She also added a channel into London's geography which plays a useful and significant role in the migration of the wolves. In other words, she used her imagination and set the scenes up a bit differently than we might otherwise have understood them. Her best known series is the Wolves Chronicles, the first title of which was published in 1962 and the last, posthumously, in 2005. (By the way, all of the books in this series are noted as being of a stand alone nature allowing you to pick up any of the books without feeling lost. However, many people prefer that new readers of the series should begin at the beginning which I'm all for.)

Aiken is noted as having a special gift which enabled her to write for people of all ages. That to say, her children and her adult books are both well-received. She enjoyed writing for both age groups, noting that the difference is really only in adding in thought-processes, descriptions and flash backs for adult readers. I definitely had the impression when reading The Wolves of Willoughby Chase that it could have been expanded and deepened into an adult novel, but I think it worked very well as a story for children. Besides writing novels and short stories, Aiken also wrote poetry and plays.

Some of Aiken's favorite authors included: E. Nesbit, Charles Dickens (her mother read Dickens aloud to her when she was very young), Francis Hodgson Burnett, James Thurber, Edgar Allen Poe, ghost story writer M.R. James, and Fitz James O'Brien who is considered a forerunner in the science fiction writing category.

Aiken married Ronald George Brown in 1945 and the two had two children. Brown died in 1955. In 1976 Aiken was remarried to a New York landscape painter and teacher, Julius Goldstein. Those two then divided their time between New York and England. Goldstein passed away in 2001 and Joan died in 2004. Her two children from her marriage to Brown survived her.

If you are interested in learning a little bit more about Joan Aiken, click over to the following links:

• 2001 interview with Aiken
• Joan Aiken Website (which includes a detailed bibliography)
• The Guardian obituary notice

I definitely enjoyed learning a little bit more about this author and I hope you've enjoyed these discoveries as well. If you know of anything else that is notable, please do mention it in the comments below!

Jeeves in the Morning, by P.G. Wodehouse

I'm catching up so that I can get ahead. Yes. That's the plan!

Last week I wrapped up reading my Wodehouse pick (read for the April edition of the Reading to Know Book Club), Jeeves in the Morning. This title was originally published as Joy in the Morning and is being published under that title again. (Apparently it was titled Jeeves in the Morning for  brief period of time in America only and I own a copy as that.)

Some critics have hailed this title as Wodehouse's finest. That's not why I read it. I read it because it was the Jeeves & Wooster title on my shelf which I had not read. And I think you'll find reasons to quibble about which Wodehouse work is his best as everyone seems to enjoy a different character or storyline. The one thing most people tend to agree on is that Wodehouse must be read because his writing is delightful. I think this is true. If you didn't read along with the book club this past month, I hope you'll make time for a Wodehouse at some point. I can't imagine you'll regret it.

In Joy in the Morning characters Bertie Wooster and his servant Jeeves are being called to Steeple Bumphleigh, a country village where Bertie has no desire to go. His Aunt Agatha lives in Steeple Bumpleigh and he does not like his Aunt Agatha and makes objections to the visit. However, Jeeves' logic persuades Bertie that he has a duty to travel to Steeple Bumpleigh and assist his uncle in arranging a secret business meeting. Bertie is cheered to discover that his aunt will be out of town and so off to Steeple Bumpleigh he and Jeeves go.

Of course, as is the usual for Bertie, he runs into a female (in this case, an old flame) who wants to marry him but whom he has no wish to marry. Romances are falling apart everywhere and growing in places that no one wants. Life becomes a complicated mess and it is Jeeves - and only Jeeves - who can apply some thought and logic to bring about happy resolutions to everyone's problems. Jeeves is the hero and Bertie is appreciative. Even if this particular story about Wooster and Jeeves sounds similar to others, you don't mind reading about the particulars in this one because Wodehouse has a delightful way of turning a phrase in order to make the reader laugh.

Here are a few of my favorite passages:

"It has been well said of Bertram Wooster by those who enjoy his close acquaintance that if there is one quality more than another that distinguishes hm, it is his ability to keep the lip stiff and supper and make the best of things. Though crushed to earth, as the expression is, he rises again - not absolutely in mid-season form, perhaps, but perkier than you would expect and with an eye alert for silver linings." (Chapter V)

"Well, go on."
"Where was I?"
"you were saying you made a bloomer in trying to be bright and genial."
"Ah, yes. That's right. I did. And this is how it came about. You see, the first thing a man has to ask himself, when he is told to be bright and genial, is 'How bright? How genial?' Shall he, that is to say, be just a medium ray of sunshine, or shall he go all out and shoot the works? I thought it over and designed to bar nothing and be absolutely rollicking. And that, I see now, is where I went wrong." (Chapter VII)

Wodehouse wrote this particular title when he was living in Germany. If you are unfamiliar with the person Wodehouse, he has a rather fascinating history. He was born in England and all of his books have a very British feel to them. However, most of his adult life was spent outside of England. Shortly before the second world war, Wodehouse moved to France to escape double taxation on his earnings from England the U.S. Of course, Germany occupied France and Wodehouse was interned by Germany for the remainder of the war. What was likely a poor choice on Wodehouse's part was that he prepared and delivered five radio addresses during his time in Germany which caused his countrymen to distrust his loyalties. Wodehouse rather severely underestimated the British mindset towards Germany. He never did seem to realize or understand why Britains were displeased with him for his radio broadcasts which apparently made him sound too jovial and friendly towards the Germans. As a result of this kerfuffle, Wodehouse never again returned to England. After the war, he and his wife moved to New York where he lived until his death in 1975.

Despite the fact that Britain was less than pleased with Wodehouse immediately following the war, he was eventually knighted. In an interview he gave later in his life he said he had no further ambitions after he had been knighted and had his likeness made into a wax figure at Madame Tussauds. Would that we could all say that of ourselves, hmm?

Wodehouse tickles my funny bone. I've not read a biography (all info about him gleaned from various online sources) but I would be very curious to do so. I imagine it would be fascinating!

Again, if you haven't read anything by him yet - do! I'm glad to have had an opportunity to visit with his most famous characters again. It was reading time well spent!

Chateau of Secrets, by Melanie Dobson

Ok. The regulars around here know that I don't read much Christian fiction. I usually find it to be poorly written, generally presenting a forced message of the Gospel inside of a story format. The books generally feel stilted to me, lacking imagination. My general rule of thumb towards this genre is to avoid it, with the exception of a few authors, one of whom is Melanie Dobson.

A couple of years ago I read my first Melanie Dobson book and loved it! She persuaded me through her story that Christians could write believable, FUN, and interesting stories in this modern age. Every time I go into a Christian book store, I look for her books. (Strangely, I have never managed to find one. I find this baffling and annoying at the same time. At the same time, I don't make a very frequent habit of going into Christian bookstores.) I've kept telling myself that the next time I run across one of her books, I'll pick it up and read it.

About a month ago I received an e-mail from Howard Books Publishing letting me know that Dobson was coming out with a new book and asking if I would like to read it. WOULD I!? You betcha! Once again, I was not disappointed. Chateau of Secrets was fun, fun, fun!

Chateau of Secrets is loosely based on the life of Genevieve Marie Josephe de Saint Pern Menke, a French woman who helped rescue Allied airmen and served France during World War II. Dobson's main character is named Gisèle Duchant. Gisèle, like Genevieve, was raised in a medieval chateau outside Saint-Lô in France. Gisèle is in her early twenties and her life is very happy until the Germans invade France. Not only do they invade her home country, but they also take possession of the Chateau where her family has lived, commandeering it for their local headquarters. Gisèle is forced to serve the Germans during the occupancy but her inner fight never dies and she works secretly to save both Jewish orphans and Allied airmen.

Chateau of Secrets takes us back and forth between Gisèle in the 1940's to the present day. The chapters alternative between unfolding the story of what happened to Gisèle, her family, and the chateau. The reader also becomes acquainted with the the life story of her granddaughter, Chloe. Chloe exists in the modern day and is engaged to be married an up and coming politician. All is not what it should be in the couple's engagement and so Chloe takes a short trip to France to discover more about her family's history and to try to solve a great mystery in Gisèle's past. Their two stories are interwoven in what is probably a rather predictable way. Whether or not that is so, I don't care. I didn't allow myself to guess ahead but stayed in the moment of whatever chapter I was in, enjoying the ride. The ride Melanie Dobson took me was oh so entertaining and also provided some small insights into what the war would have looked like to occupied France.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and can only highly recommend it.

I'm delighted to say that Howard Books has offered to give away a copy of this title to one of my readers here at Reading to Know. Would you care to win? Simply leave a comment below. PLEASE INCLUDE A VALID E-MAIL ADDRESS WITH YOUR COMMENT! This contest is open to U.S. Residents only and will remain open through Friday, May 16th.

Extra comments may be left if you:

1. Facebook this specific giveaway; and/or
2. Twitter this specific giveaway. (@readingtoknow)

(Just leave an extra comment if you opt into this.)

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THE WINNER, as selected by Random.org, IS #27 - Sky! Congrats!

Many thanks to Howard Books Publishing who sent a copy of this title my direction in order to facilitate this review. I received no additional compensation for this post and all opinions are my own (as is always the case).

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, by Joan Aiken

It now being May, we are moving on with our next read for the Reading to Know Classic Bookclub. This month we'll be reading The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, by Joan Aiken. This title was selected for us by Bluerose's Heart. Here are her opening remarks:

*****

I usually pick my reading based on the pretty cover, words or phrases that catch my attention, high praise from a trusted blogger, or books that make it on a "book list". Those books that make it on a "book list" are ones that stuck out in someone's mind from all the others, and that's extra motivation for me to put it on my reading list. Also, any book in the middle grade realm that has a dark(ish) weird vibe immediately goes on my list.

A couple years ago, I saw The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (Wolves Chronicles) on a book list, and for some reason, it gave me the vibe that it was on the darker, odd side of the book world. At that point, I felt I MUST read it! I haven't started reading it yet, so I still don't have a clue what it's about, but here's to hoping I find a great "odd" read.

I hope you'll join us this month!

*****
I've already begun reading this title and so far I am completely enthralled! It's a quick and easy read, full of mystery. If you can land a copy of this title, I highly recommend reading along.

We hope you will consider reading along with us. If you are planning on it, we always like to know. Just leave a comment below!

Have fun!

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place : The Unseen Guest (Book 3)

I just finished reading the third book in the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series, The Unseen Guest. Once again I was riveted to the book and enjoyed it immensely, with exception.

If you are unfamiliar with this series, let me bring you (briefly) up to speed:

This series follows the adventures of three extraordinary children : Alexander, Beowulf and Cassiopeia. These three children were found by Lord Ashton in the woods on his estate at Ashton place. He decides to bring the children home and hire a governess to care for the kids and to teach them how to behave in civilized society. Penelope Lumley, age 15 (by Book 3 she is 16) arrives on the scene and takes charge of the children, making headway in training them to behave more like humans and less like animals.

A great many mysteries surrounds the children. Where are their parents? Why were they living in the woods? What experiences have they had in their young lives which they can use to help them renter the society of other people?

Mysteries also surround Ms. Lumley who was raised in a home for poor, bright females and has no idea who her parents are or where they might be. Furthermore there are questions about the Ashton estate which seems to be shrouded in secrecy. We meet these characters and places in Book 1 (which I read and loved) and each follow-up book in the series reveals a few more clues as to how the children, Ms. Lumley, Lord Ashton and Ashton place are related (for you feel sure there is a connection)!

These books are mysterious and fun. I'd probably recommend them to ages 9 and up. My oldest boy is 7 and I think he would probably enjoy these books as a read aloud at present but I'm fairly inclined to save them for his own independent reading.

My "exception" to liking/recommending this series comes into play with this third title which does contain a séance which is performed so that the characters can call up the dead in hopes of answering some questions. The séance is contained into one chapter and is told in a humorous way meant to make the reader laugh. (Mind you, I didn't laugh but sped read the chapter.) I've previously explained why I don't really care to be reading about this type of magic so I'll refrain from repeating myself. This series of books is not as deeply seeped into magic as Harry Potter (or even Narnia) and I wouldn't say that this visit with the psychic is going to cause me to refrain from offering the read to my kids. I probably will let them read it and I suspect that they will greatly enjoy the story of these incorrigible children. I also plan on talking over the issue just as I will with Narnia magic and Harry Potter (should they ever ask me to read HP; I probably won't voluntarily promote Rowling).

Will I read to the end of the Incorrigible Children series? You bet! I'm totally hooked and I want to know how author Maryrose Wood intends to play things out. Her writing style is very witty and engaging and I find the read enjoyable and diverting. With the word of caution as to the contents in The Unseen Guest, I say you might still wish to check these out

At Home in Mitford, by Jan Karon

We recently went on a "little" trip overseas and, as is the case whenever one travels, I was in something of a quandary to know which books to take along with me. As it turns out, I didn't have as much time to read as I thought I would but the one book I did make it through was At Home in Mitford. The last time I visited with anyone from Mitford was back in 2007 so it has been awhile. These books have been overdue for a re-read. I own them all in hardback form but didn't want to lug any about due to space concerns. Instead, I picked up a cheap, battered up paperback copy which I read and left behind. (It was a placeholder for the souvenirs!)

In the end, I don't think I could have chosen a more perfect book to read than At Home in Mitford. At more than one point in our trip, I was very homesick for the good ol' US of A and Mitford brought me back to it in my imagination. It was a very comforting read as it reminded me of everything that I know and hold dear here in my own country. It was a peaceful balm in the midst of some emotional storms and I so valued and appreciated this read as a result. I resonated with it more than I might have had I read it in the comfort of the familiar. It was interesting for me to read it outside the bounds of my usual comfort zones.

If by some chance you've never gone to Mitford, you really should. A cozier read you'll be hard pressed to find. If life is chaos all around you, go to Mitford. It'll help you slow down and take stock of your situation. As the books are so popular, I'll skip providing a description, assuming you are well-familiar with the characters and plot, and stick to documenting my experience in re-reading.

Here are a few quotes that stood out from me from the book. I didn't mark down the chapters and pages because, well, I just didn't.

Father Tim gets a new neighbor named Cynthia and the strike up a friendship. During one of their conversations, Cynthia makes the following remark:

"I've never been one for physical exercise," she said, "but what God does with our faith must be something like workouts. He sees to it that our faith gets pushed and pulled, stretched, and pounded, taken to its limits so its limits can expand."

This trip out of the country worked to expand my limits in a major way. I wasn't comfortable for awhile and was challenged to think differently and go deeper in my spiritual walk than I had ever done before. I still haven't figured out how to communicate all of the things that I learned overseas but it was a pretty intense (and, ultimately, wonderful) trip. My faith got a workout and my limits were expanded. This sentence glared up at me from the page as I was reading and I grew a little bit more grateful for the challenges and the travel experiences.

I will tell you more about the country we went to (and why) in a few weeks but one of the notable aspects of the society in question is the way that they treat their elderly. Older people are given (and frequently outright demand) a great deal of respect. I would say that in America we do not pay half as much attention to the elderly than they do in the country we were visiting. I also think that is regrettable and that we Americans ought to be ashamed of ourselves. The young people in this other country are beginning to resent the "old ways" which demand respect for those older than themselves and we heard a fair amount of complaining about them having to step aside to let someone older pass, or have a seat on the subway. Personally I think that people who are older than us ought be shown a great deal of respect and consideration and that we should not be half as quick to dismiss them as we currently are!

In At Home in Mitford, Father Tim goes to visit an older lady and long time friend, Miss Sadie Baxter. She makes the following statement:

"Father," said Miss Sadie, who was sitting up in bed, having finished her lunch, "you can't imagine how wonderful it is to have something to listen to me ramble. Did you ever think that just when people grow old and have so much to tell, that's when people want them to hush? I hope when you grow old, there'll be someone to listen to you ramble."

Older people (truly anyone older than ourselves) have the most interesting stories to tell. We could learn much from those ahead of us in the game if we would be humble enough to stop and listen from time to time. I know that I have failed at this and I know that I am being failed in this. American society does not promote respect and worth when it comes to the elderly and I think we should work to bring it back and to give honor where honor is due. I know I purpose to do better in this and I know it will also be hard to do (but important).

Moving along to a different subject, later in the book Father Tim is having a conversation with Pete Jamison, who is a recent convert to the Christian faith. Pete calls Father Tim up on the phone to talk and to receive some advice. Here is their conversation:

"Pray. Read your Bible. Be baptized. Go to church."
"Well, I'm going to church. But I've got to tell you that it's full of hypocrites."
Father Tim laughed. If there was ever a popular refrain in modern Christendom, that might be it.
"My friend, if you keep your eyes on Christians, you will be disappointed every day of your life. Your hope is to keep your eyes on Christ."

A big and rowdy "AMEN" to that! So often I hear of Christians who distance themselves from the church because they cannot find perfect people inside of it. That really ought not to be such a huge surprise, especially considering that they themselves are also very much not perfect. Join the club (because it's what you are supposed to do). Be a part of the body. God made it for you to belong to. Hypocrite sharpening hypocrite, iron sharpening iron.

Speaking of which, several years ago I shared this image of what it looks like when iron is sharpening iron:

Not what you thought? Looks like a little bit of necessary conflict to me, designed to refine and to change.

God knows what He is talking about and He designed the church for us to be involved with. Walk in the door but keep your eyes on Christ or else you will be unnecessarily disappointed. Stick with the Bride of Christ, which exists all over the world, and you will find yourselves blessed beyond measure.

On Easter Sunday this year, Jonathan and I were not in this country and we were not with our church family. We were feeling very lonely and a little bit sorry for ourselves. But we knew and we know that God knows what He is talking about when He tells us to be a part of the Body. So, we found a church to attend and were graciously and warmly welcomed in. At the conclusion of the service time, we were taken out for a meal afterward! It was a HUGE blessing and ministered to us greatly.  It was a "not to be missed" experience which we would have surely missed if we had forsaken assembly with other saints.

This to say - be brave! Stick with the church! And always keep your eyes on Christ! You'll be blessed beyond your wildest imagination if you "tough it out" . . . especially during times when you might not want to.

Again, Mitford was just a delightful read and it managed to speak to me on many levels when I was so very far from home. I love this book and I love this series! Glad to have visited with it again.