Snippets

I'm falling behind in making notes about what books I've read this year! I've got to pick up the pace and quick! To that end, I'll offer up a few "snippets" for today:

The Glass Castle: A Memoir, by Jeannette Walls was the last of my Facebook Challenge reads that I had accepted. You might recall that the first of every year I invite a certain number of people to make a suggestion for a book that I then have to read in the coming year. In 2015 I invited 4 people to make such a suggestion and Shonya "assigned" me this book as one of my challenge reads.

I finished it several weeks ago and meant to write about it immediately, because it was something of a haunting read. I wanted to write my thoughts on it out of my system but instead I walked away from it and let them languish. (Whoops.) If you aren't aware of this story, know that it's a New York Times Bestseller and a memoir by Jeannette Walls. In this book she shares her growing up experience with a set of parents who might by all accounts be considered deadbeats, but whom she really adored as a young child. Their family moved all over the country during Walls' childhood, due to her father's inability or interest in holding down a job. Both of her parents enjoyed the concept of having a free spirit that could wander about at whim and fancy. Doing whatever pleased them most seemed to be their life goal. The problem what that is that you can't do just anything you like when you have three children in your care. Jeannette and her siblings knew what it was like to be and/or feel alone, to be freezing cold in the wintertime, and to be hungry year 'round.

As Jeannette comes of age, she begins to feel the urge to make something of herself. She wants to take more care of not just her own person but of her siblings too. She set goals for herself and worked hard at them. I would say that Jeannette Walls has done a great job striking out on her own and pursuing hard goals. She has succeeded in much that she has put her hands to, but never quite lost the respect a child always feels for their parent, regardless of how they are or are not cared for. Walls had a challenging set of parents to write a story about but she does so in such a fashion so as to provoke a sense of compassion in the reader. I'm not quite sure how she managed that as I'm typically not very compassionate towards those who absolutely refuse to work. I can't say that I understand her father at all, but she explains him so that I feel sorry for him, to some extent or another. One thing that I really appreciated her saying was that people with brokenness in their life have some of the best stories to offer. I think there's truth to that. We're all broken but not all of us admit it. If we were to do so, honestly, our stories would be vastly more interesting. We are able to connect with the Walls family in part because she lays all things bare. With nothing hidden, you can find places to identify and connect with and that's pretty amazing.

This isn't a bright and peppy book, by any stretch of the imagination, but it is an interesting one. I think it would make a good book club read because the characters contained herein definitely stand out. Plus there's a lot of social topics to be discussed as a result of reading and thinking about the Walls family story. Anyway, if you like memoir and you like being provoked to thought, then this is a title to be considered.

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Another title which I devoured in an afternoon (it's short enough to do so) was Hurry Henrietta by Molly Cone. I picked this one up at a used bookstore simply because I thought the premise sounded interesting. It was described as a book about a young Jewish girl who was the oldest of five daughters. Her siblings all grew up and fell in love but she never married, being very focused on educational pursuits instead. Come to find out, this is a true story about Henrietta Szold who you can read about here. She was a U.S. born Jewish Zionist leader and founder of Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America.

Hurry Henrietta tells a very condensed version of her life story. Author Molly Cone says of it, "This story leaves out a great many things - you cannot really call it a biography - for it picks and chooses among the events of her life to find her "true" story. Call it only a story." That's probably the most honest disclaimer I've ever seen in a book! That is also a very good description as a great many liberties are taken when it comes to picking and choosing which parts of Henrietta's life to focus on. This story is something of a hodge podge of random bits and pieces from Henrietta's life and it is not very neatly stitched together at that. While I learned who Henrietta Szold was and noted a few interesting things about her personality, there wasn't a great deal more to it than that. I think Cone's idea was to clue you in on Henrietta's existence. In so far as that, she did a great job.

As you might gather, I wasn't enamored with the book. It certainly wasn't what I was expecting to discover when I purchased it to read. Sometimes you have to take a gamble and on this one I learned about someone I had never heard of before. In my mind, that makes this book which wasn't a total waste but I don't know that I'd go about recommending it as being the greatest thing ever. If you come across it and her story sounds a little bit compelling, it makes for an interesting and quick read.

Strength in What Remains, by Tracy Kidder

I wish to be abundantly clear that I did not read Strength in What Remains because it's a New York Times Bestseller or because Oprah likes it, although both of those things are (admittedly) true. I read it because it was selected by the ladies in my local book club. We meet tonight to discuss it so any of the thoughts I share below are subject to change. (I'll add an addendum if that proves the case.)

Strength in What Remains is the true story of a man named Deogratias (Deo) who flees his home country of Burundi in search of a better life in America. Burundi is sandwiched in between Rwanda, the Congo, and Tanzania. Both Rwanda and Burundi were in the midst of a civil war (between the Hutus and the Tusis) at the time Deo left for the states. (Rawanda's civil war was shorter in duration than what was experienced in Burundi.)

Deo left violence and bloodshed behind him which is described in enough detail in this book as to make your stomach churn a bit. It is no wonder that Deo himself suffers from a nervous stomach much of his life! In this book we see how he arrived in New York City only to live homeless in Central Park. We track with him as he learns English and ultimately applies for Columbia University Medical School. His is really a rather amazing story and a curious one to hear. Deogratias is a man to be admired if hard work and determination mean anything.

The first half of the book flips back and forth between Deo's previous life in, and escape from, Burundi and his ensuing life in America. Author Tracy Kidder gives you a good sense of the fear and uncertainty Deo must have faced in coming to a foreign country. Then, too, he makes you to rejoice when Deo leaps almost insurmountable hurdles to find his place in his new world. We the readers grapple with Deo's thought processes as he deals with the both the differences between Burundi and American cultures and also the unique and horrifying reality of his past.

In the second half of the book we "meet" Tracy Kidder who introduces himself through his aquiaintanship with Deo. We know then that this story of Deo's life has been pieced together by Kidder as they have conversed with one another and spent time in each other's company. Kidder describes his observations about Deo as well as those of Burundi when the two men travel back together. With Kidder and Deo we retrace Deo's steps as he tried to escape from the bloody, war-torn Burundi of the mid-1990's. We also hear of Deo's plans to build a medical clinic in Burundi for the people.

Certainly Strength in What Remains is not an easy book to read. I have to confess that I was not excited about it to begin with but found it interesting enough that I devoured the first half in a single reading. Despite my reservations about what I might find in the story, I was drawn in to the tale of Deo and I wandered what has become of him since the writing of the book.

True confession time: I enjoyed the first half of the book more than the second half. The first is an interesting observation on what an immigrant might face when first coming to America. It is also a good study on how America differs from third world countries and it makes me consider how much we have "by right" here that people in other nations can't even begin to imagine. With few exceptions, we Americans have several changes of clothes, shoes on our feet and food in our bellies. I (once again) began thinking about the possessions I own and how so little is really required to feel perfectly satisfied. We Americans forget this, in our abundance of riches. I enjoyed the second half of the book less simply because it came across more as Kidder trying to prove the facts of Deo's story. While I agree that this is something that needed and had to be done (as dates and incidents can't be proven completely) it read off more like research than a story, and my interest waned a bit.

It would seem that Strength in What Remains has received quite a bit of positive press since it's release in 2010. I found this interviewed with Deogratias (Deo) online that is sort of interesting to read.

Here is a brief bio about Deo and also a picture:

Here is an interview/video with Deogratias who was a 2010 Voices of Courage Award honoree (which includes pictures of people in Burundi which are wonderful to get to see):

Below is an interview with author Tracy Kidder in which he explains why he wrote the book:

I couldn't resist looking up some pictures of the landscape of Burundi. This is one of them. Isn't it beautiful?!!

Photo Credit: enjoyburundi.info

Strength in What Remains is not a book I would have picked up on my own but is one that I'm glad I was "forced" to read. This book proves the point of why it's great to be part of a book club because it will have you reading books that you wouldn't normally choose for yourself but might benefit from all the same. This is definitely a unique story and one that is likely to stick with me for some time.

Lady Catherine, the Earl, and the Real Downton Abbey

I've had Lady Catherine, the Earl, and the Real Downton Abbey sitting on my bookshelf for quite a while now. I don't even want to say how long  . . . but it's been awhile. I'm trusting that by the time this review posts I will no longer be sick and that I can safely say that I read this when I was sick and confined to the couch for three (excessively long) weeks. The only nice thing about being that sick for that long (at the same time as every other member of your family) is that you really can't do anything but watch movies and read books. We've done a lot of both. I pulled out a stack of books that I'd been wanting to get to but had not yet read and proceeded to work my way down the stack.

Lady Catherine was near the top of the stack. I'd been excited to read it after devouring the (current) Countess of Carnarvon's first book, Lady Almina and The Real Downtown Abby. (Title linked to my review in 2012.) Lady Almina was Lady Catherine's mother-in-law. Catherine married into the Carnarvon family and became the new Countess upon the death of the 5th Earl (which you might recall as the one who funded the excavation of King Tut's tomb). Lady Catherine's tenure at Highclere Castle (aka Downton Abbey) looked remarkably different than you might expect. She was not the Countess for an extremely long period of time,  because she and the 6th Earl divorced, which meant that she was required to leave the castle. Catherine's husband "Porchy", being the title bearing heir of the estate, stayed.

Due to the nature of Lady Catherine and Porchy's relationship, this book was not as fun to read as the one about Lady Almina. Catherine's story begins and ends well but everything in the middle is rather messy. In saying that, I can hear the fussing already. I'm sure you want to tell me that life is messy and we shouldn't avoid such reads. It is very true and I will agree with you that life is messy. History is full of unpleasant things. We shouldn't avoid learning about things just because we find them unpleasant. Not at all. I can read this book but also not enjoy the fact that her marriage to Porchy fell apart and find it a difficult-to-unpleasant read as a result. Whether or not something is "realistic" or "good for us to know" doesn't mean that it's not equally a hard thing to endure.

Lady Catherine, the Earl, and the Real Downton Abbey was simply not as fun to read as the first book. What did pique my interest is the history surrounding the castle. The current Countess of Carnarvon fills this book with the history and culture of the 1920's, 30's and 40's. Those decades were full of hardships for England and she writes a lot about the role which Highclere Castle played during certain historical events. She notes who the Carvarvon family were friends with (i.e., Porchy rubbed elbows with Winston Churchill ) and how the family responded to news of the war against Germany. It's really very interesting from that perspective.

To be perfectly honest, reading Lady Catherine felt a great deal more like watching a few seasons of Downton Abbey. The historical notes (i.e., position of women in society, treatment of homosexuals, bravery in war, relationships to staff during hard times, etc.) that the Countess makes are strikingly similar to the points which the television series also wishes to drive home. Now, grant it, the 1920's and 30's were a time of real change in the way society viewed and handled a plethora of issues. Societal rules were being roundly challenged and so it makes the book (and the tv series) quite the soap opera (yes let's just confess that, shall we?). Porchy has a wandering eye and it's irritating to read about. Lady Catherine has to find her new place in society as a fairly well-to-do but divorced woman. Things in this book are all rather high on drama.

For me, the magic of Lady Almina was in learning the behind-the-scenes history of the people who lived at the castle - together. It's in hearing about Lord Carnarvon's passion for finding treasure in Egypt; his struggle to make a mark on the world. Lady Almina and her husband just seemed to have more gumption and stick-to-itiveness about them that I enjoyed reading about. Lady Catherine just didn't have the same "oomph" about her, although I do think she was a very kind woman who loved deeply and who appreciated and adored her family. She was admirable too but in a different way. And, I think, she suffered greater challenges in part because she lived in "changing times."

I declared before that I would read Lady Almina and the Real Downtown Abbey over and over again. I would too! I will. But I can't say that I really want to read about Lady Catherine, the Earl, and the Real Downton Abbey more than once.

I Am Walt Disney

I Am Walt Disney is a new release in Scholastic Books' "I Am" middle grade biography series. This particular title does not release for another month but I just had to go ahead and tell you about it TODAY. Why today? Because today, December 5th, is Walt Disney's birthday (1901).

Now, I didn't accept this book for review with Disney's birthday in mind. Rather, I like what I know about the guy and I wanted to introduce my kids to the man Walt Disney and not just his brand. Up to this point,  I had not read any biographies to my kids. All lives not being idyllic, I just feel like waiting to share stories of people in history until they are old enough to grasp the different trials that people can face in this life. (Yes, we read fiction books with trials and tribulations and I'm aware that I'm not being entirely consistent. But when you know that something is real and actual people are involved it can make you nervous reading their stories.) That said, I figured Walt Disney's child-geared biography was a good one to dabble with.

If you are wondering (like I was) if Scholastic could paint an accurate picture of a person I would venture a guess that the answer is 'no.' There is definitely a political slant in this book which I do not care for at all. That said, my oldest bookworm and I enjoyed our time together reading this book.

The "I Am" in the title makes you think that the book is written in a more autobiographical style and the introduction of the book is laid out as such. However, from the first chapter on, the book is biographical in nature. In I Am Walt Disney we learn about his childhood, his education, his career struggles and, of course, the successes. There are illustrated pictures scattered throughout the book as well as photographs of Walt and other historical items. We learn a little about the evolution of animation and the history of Disney Studios. It is a quick look at a very famous man and made the idea of Disneyland an even more fantastic one to all of my kids who each enjoyed looking through the pictures in this book.

What didn't I like? Well, I'll share the opening paragraph and most of you will clue in immediately to my reservations:

"For all the joy that Walt Disney spread around the world, you might assume he had a happy, carefree childhood. In fact, Walt's early years were often a struggle.

He was born Walter Elias Disney on December 5, 1901, in Chicago, Illinois. His parents, Elias and Flora, were hard workers and active churchgoers. They ran a strict household where a strong work ethic was more important than having fun." (Chapter 1, Not Exactly a Storybook Childhood, page 13)

This book talks about how abusive Elias was and how he "didn't approve of . . . silliness." We also learn about how Elias bough a paper route business and employed many school-aged boys to deliver the papers. Walt also worked on the paper route but, according to the author, "did not earn a penny" for his efforts. However, later on in this same book it talks about how when Walt was building up his business, he wrote to his parents asking for the money he had saved up. Now, I've read one biography of Walt Disney (linked) which fails to mention a horrendous relationship between Elias and Walt. After finishing reading I Am Walt Disney I checked various websites and they collectively agree that Elias could be a "stern man" who did have a temper. He was strict with his kids and saved the money that Walt made on the paper route, not trusting him to understand the value of money. In other words, Walt did earn money for his paper route - it just wasn't given directly to him. His father saved it for him on his behalf.  As it turns out, that money ended up being used for something useful and I don't think Walt complained too much when he needed some capital.

I'm taking issue with the author of this book who paints Christians out to be strict fuddy duddies who hate having fun and who are almost by their very nature brutes and louts. I am not convinced that Scholastic has proof of bad blood between Elias and his son. What is clearly obvious is that Elias did, in fact, have a strong work ethic and that he taught (all of) his children how to put in an honest and hard day's work. I dare say this served Walt quite well.

Now, in stating the above I am not saying that Elias was a perfect man or even a great one. I just resent the fact that the way the author of this book - and Scholastic - present him as being bad because he was a "churchgoer" and a religious man. That's subversive and it gives the complete wrong impression of Christians -- many of whom love having fun by going to Disneyland with their families. (Oh say, like me and mine.)

I really admire Walt Disney (precisely because he had a good work ethic which helped him to turn his imaginations into realities!) and I'm glad for my kids to know more about him. I really don't think I'll be hanging onto this book because of the offensive anti-Christian slant it takes right out of the barrel. I'll look for a better biography to share with the kids. Then, when they are older, I fully intend to encourage them How to Be Like Walt . . . while maintaining their faith with all of their mind, heart and strength. Contrary to popular opinion, fun AND success can be synonymous with Christianity.

Thanks to Scholastic Books for providing a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. I received no additional compensation for this post and, as is always the case, all opinions are my own.

Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey, by The Countess of Carnarvon

I absolutely loved and adored Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle. This book was a super fun read and I'm so glad that my ("real life") friend recommended it to me! If you are a fan of the Downton Abbey television series, you'll absolutely love this book. Even if you are not, and are just a fan of history or biographies in general, you will likely enjoy this quite well. I do believe this will be one of my favorite reads of 2012. (Yes, yes, that's true!)

Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey is written by the current Countess of Carnarvon who resides in Highclere Castle. Highclere's fictional name is Downton Abbey which is likely how you know it best. Lady Fiona Carnarvon researched her family history in order to tell the story of Lady Almina who lived at Highclere from 1895 to 1923. The reason Lady Almina would be of significant interest to the modern television viewer is that she is the inspiration for the character of Lady Cora Crawley. It is easy to tell that the current Countess of Carvarvon did a great deal of research when putting this book together. She includes a good many pictures of the Carnarvon ancestors, along with transcripts from personal letters and various other documents. It's so fun to read bits of diary entries and letters which help to bring the past to life. Also fun is to read the acknowledgements wherein Lady Fiona thanks, "Paul and Rob the chefs [who made sure she] ate, and the household staff . . . [who] worked around [her] trying to tidy and giving [her] endless cups of tea." Given the fact that she was able to devote so much exclusive attention to her work, we are gifted with a well-written history of one very amazing lady (or, Lady, in the official sense).

Lady Almina married the 5th Earl of Carnarvon in June 1895 and saw Highclere through the turn of the century and on through World War I. She was only 19 when she married, and she was heiress to a fortune, which was desperately needed in order to save Highclere. Not only did she have the money to attract Lord Carnarvon, but she also had a bubbly and vivacious personality. She was a gifted hostess and appeared to be well-liked by those who knew her. She was a bit spoiled in the money and comfort department, and Lady Fiona acknowledges this. However, Almina seemed not to to let her financial standing and status in society keep her from caring for the needs of other. On the contrary, she used her access to funds to benefit society and those in need around her. She was a very generous woman - almost to a fault!

Most notably, during World War I, Lady Almina opened Highclere up as a hospital for wounded soldiers. She had a talent and a gift for nursing and not only did she hire the best nurses she could with money she had available to her, but she personally tended to the wounded soldiers. She did everything from cleaning wounds to attending their funerals. Most of the book focuses on her efforts during the war. I personally found the attention that Lady Fiona gave to documenting stories of soldiers and patients who came into contact with Almina and Highclere was quite fascinating. (To give you a tease, there was a real Mr. Bates!) I really admired the way that Lady Almina handled the challenges set before her during the War and the work she was able to accomplish. She might have very easily tried to hide herself from the effects of war but she did not. She threw herself in the fray and brought healing and relief to men and families who lives were irreversibly changed by serving king and country. She cared. And when a woman cares, wonderful things tend to happen.

Another reason I admire her is because while she had a passion for politics and had a platform from which to share her views and opinions, she did not champion women's rights. (I'm not necessarily commenting on a woman's right to vote here, ok? I'm glad I have such a right and I'm grateful for those who saw fit to fight for it!) But I like Almina's attitude towards a woman's role in society. She didn't argue that women are somehow better than men and she didn't try to bully men with her speeches. She seemed to recognize that there is a place for both men and women in society and that, by working together, great change can be effected. Here is a quote from a speech she gave to the Newbury Unionist Woman's Association in January 1911:

"In the dark ages, which are very much behind us, we used to be called the weaker sex. We never were, and we never shall be weaker in our patriotism. In this as in all similar matters we are neither inferior nor superior, but only very different and I am convinced that we shall do most good to our country and her cause if instead of imitating men we endeavor to widen and perhaps enrich the spirit of public life by simply being ourselves."

I think that is well said. I do not believe that women are better or worse than men. I agree with Almina wholeheartedly that we are different in a valuable way. We have different gifts to bring to the table, as it were, and are suited to change society in different ways than men are. (Directive to regular commenters on here: if you disagree, you don't need to tell me so again. It being my blog, I'm sharing my opinion. Sharing yours is acceptable so long as it's not launched as a personal attack or shared with the goal of trying to change my mind. Not. going. to. happen.)

All this to say, I really admire Lady Almina's spirit here. She didn't sit around writing her hands, worrying and fretting but not doing. Instead she found an area where she was specially suited to make a difference and she did so. Her natural talents had a natural niche and I would say her work with wounded soldiers was beautiful indeed. Not only did it save many lives but her money and efforts also changed the way that medicine was practiced during and after the war for the better. Her natural talents brought about great and valuable changes. She didn't approach her work in condemnation of man, but in an attempt to compliment and provide a service she was very gifted at. Again, I think she did her work beautifully!

Other interesting things to note:

* Almina "fell pregnant" (as Lady Fiona describes it) twice. She produced a son and heir first, much to the delight of the family. However, she never really connected to her son and they did not have a close relationship. She did, however, find great delight in her daughter, Eve.

* Almina's husband was and is well-known for more than just being the 5th Earl of Carnarvon. He teemed up with Howard Carter and in 1922 the two men discovered King Tut's tomb! (It was Almina's money which helped fund their excavations.)

* The 5th Earl of Carnarvon, aside from a love of Egypt, also developed an unhealthy fascination with motor cars. Actually, Lady Fiona's descriptions of Lord George reminded me quite a bit of Toad of Toad Hall in The Wind and the Willows. Despite the fact that Lord George was injured in a car accident and was taken to court on more than one occasion for speeding (he was caught going over 11 miles an hour!) he still loved the motor cars.

If you haven't guessed by now - I found Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey quite fascinating. I would love to read this book again. And again. And then perhaps even again! I'll definitely be slipping this book on my shelf to enjoy in the future and heartily recommend to others!

Three Cups of Tea, by David Oliver Relin

What can be said about Three Cups of Tea that hasn't already been said? Greg Mortenson has been picked apart because this story sounds like an over exaggeration of one man's talents. This book practically heralds him as a god. As others have pointed out, the book appears on its face to be co-written by Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. However, it soon becomes clear that the author of the book is Relin and he has a very slanted opinion of the man he is writing about. This book has begged the question of whether or not Relin/Mortenson are making up facts to please themselves or if Mortenson is truly out saving the world.

I should tell you that I read this book under duress. (Heh. Bookclub.) I had tried reading this book a few years back, when it was The Most Popular Book in Existence EVER, and couldn't get over the voice of Relin who clearly stands in awe of Mortenson. Then I later heard that the claims that Mortenson makes about his feats of bravery and self-sacrifice were actually hogwash. Apparently when 60 Minutes tried to investigate his claims, he expressed his desire not to cooperate which, again, begs numerous questions. At any rate - should you (by some miracle of the modern world) not have been made aware of this book, it is about how Mortenson raised funds to build a school for girls in "the wildest parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan." This story takes place before 9/11 and you have to keep reminding yourself of that fact as you read along because our post-9/11 world wouldn't allow for the half of the stuff Mortenson claims to have happened to actually happen.

Regardless of the facts, I take issue with two particular aspects of this story:

1. It's anti-American stance on every conceivable subject.
2. Mortenson's clear disrespect for the time of others, including that of the author himself.

As to point number one, I disliked the book for suggesting over and over again that Americans are closed minded nitwits who are so uppity about themselves that they pay no mind to the rest of the world. (Every country has its faults. Not saying that Americans are perfect. I'm just saying that we shouldn't always treat them as if they are collectively imperfect. You don't want us to generalize about other cultures? Don't generalize Americans either. All's fair.) Unfortunately I didn't bookmark the place where the author referred to "America's war" on terror as if it were all about us. After all the hype about Mortenson overlooking differences and (literally and figuratively) climbing mountains to obtain the ever elusive world peace, I was really annoyed. Who STARTED the war? We didn't bomb ourselves. I'm not saying that it's not good to be at peace with all men in so much as it is possible, but I do become frightfully annoyed when America is always painted out to be the big, bad guy and all other cultures and customs are thought to be superior somehow.

I'm glad and proud to be American. And we've paid dearly to remain the home of the free. (Well...considering your politics and the state of taxation...mostly free.) And we've earned the title "Home of the Brave" because we're loaded down with brave men and women who have fought to preserve this country. Why do we so easily brush it aside in some sort of facade based on intellectual pride?

Moving on . . .

2. Mortenson is apparently notoriously bad about wasting the time of other people. The author confessed that in the writing of this book, Mortenson seldom kept an appointment and was habitually late. The author proceeds to explain how you eventually overlook this fact about Mortenson because his brilliant compassion causes you to realize that Mortenson is really another species, high above the rest of humanity, and that his lack of manners should be excused.

Apart from what Mortenson may or may not have accomplished in building these schools, his personality is one that I could never get along with. He surrounds himself with people who think well of him and dismiss his flaws as being just part of the package that is Mortenson. His wife and his mother say that he operates on "African time" - which apparently involves coming and going as one pleases without ever looking at the clock. That might be a nice idea (in theory) of a way to live one's life but we also can't ignore the fact that Americans do run things by the clock. So whether or not Mr. Mortenson chooses to do so is rather irrelevant to me because by failing to acknowledge that other people have lives that they are also trying to live and be productive in, he is inadvertently claiming that he is the most important person on the face of the planet. He dismisses the fact that other people have responsibilities and cares and insists that everyone accept him just the way that he is and adapt. That is very selfish and flat out sinfully rude. Time is a valuable commodity and we've all been given tasks, jobs to do, responsibilities and goals that are our own and to take time out of one's life to give to another should be considered a gift. Mortenson squanders the gifts and time of others by making them sit around for hours waiting for him to show up for an appointment or by ignoring them completely when they've offered something of themselves for his work.

Mortenson has had to raise funds for the schools, obviously, and in the book it talks about how he decided to seek out rich investors so that he would be free to travel and work on the schools as-needed. Relin interviewed Mortenson's mother and she made the following statement in regards to Mortenson's efforts to make money:

"It just makes me sick to see Greg kowtowing to all those rich people," Jerene Mortenson says. "They should be bowing down to him." (Chapter 18, page 233)

Really? Bowing down to him? Because he has less money but Lives For a Cause? Does this make him better? Does this make him god-like, with a passport to do as he pleases? We've all seen this happen with others, no doubt. Someone says that they believe in something that they deem important and everyone around them is expected to get on board with the program come hell or high water. If we don't, then somehow we're in the wrong. Clearly, we have the incorrect mindset. We should give all of our money, time and energy to their cause because our own responsibilities must be nothing in light of their perceived notion of right and wrong. Mortenson's mother surely loves her son (a good thing!) but I think she places too much emphasis on his perceived importance.

On the whole, I'm neither impressed with Mortenson or this book. Character is more important to me than money or worldy successes. I'm not saying that his work is invaluable because I don't believe so. But I do believe that there are a great many people in this world doing good and valuable work and while it would be wonderful to hear their stories, one by one, I would be hesitant to say which life mission was the better. I think a sense of humility will carry a person a lot further than pride will. I believe that God can use any person on earth to accomplish His will, and that we shouldn't worry so much about patting ourselves on the back for what we do but purpose to do everything for the glory of God. If that is done, then purposes are accomplished - no matter what they might end up looking like through human eyes.

Would I recommend this book? Well, it's not a book that means very much to me because of Mortenson's treatment of others and Relin's clear fascination with his subject matter. It's hard to tell what is true and what isn't. The only thing that is clear, from the author's perspective, is that Mortenson is a better human than myself (and pretty much everyone that I know) and if you want to read about how much you and your concerns are worth absolutely nothing, then by all means - read this book!!!

P.S. If you are an American who has family serving in the armed forces to protect our freedoms, then this book might just flat out make you mad.

Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand

Amy at Hope is in the Word made the statement earlier this year that she heartily believed that Unbroken would go down as her favorite read of 2011. (Actually, she said it might be the best book she's ever read in her life. That's hard to beat, don'tcha think?!) I didn't even bother reading the rest of her review. I knew I didn't need to. I knew I would have to buy a copy of the book and read it for myself after such a recommendation by one of my favorite fellow book bloggers.

So, I bought it. And then I sat on it for months and months and months and every time I mentioned it she would say something like, "WHY haven't you read it yet!" only kinder.

Upon finishing the book I told Jonathan that this was one of those unfortunate moments in time when I mourned the fact that my bloggy friends lived so far away from me. See, if she were local she could have stomped into my home, snatched every other book away from me, shoved Unbroken into my hands and told me that I was not allowed to read a single other book until I had finished this one. Then I would have had to comply - because of course I would have - and I would have been able to dwell on this story for more months of my life than I will ever be able to say that I have. (Wait. Well. I'm sure I'll regret that.)

Suffice it to say, Unbroken is probably going down as one of my favorite reads in 2011 and if I lived next to you I'd probably stomp over to your house, remove all other books from the vicinity, and would demand that you read Unbroken next. Then, of course, you would do so just because you would.

Go ahead. I'm waiting. You might as well accept the fact that I'm going to harp about this book until you do. This is my next Book Mission in life. Consider this fair warning.

Now, I assumed going into this book that it was a novel. It is not. It is narrative history, a true "Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption" about a man named Louis Zamperini. Zamperini was an Olympic hopeful when World War II changed everything about his life, who he was, what he dreamed of, and who he ultimately became.

Before you start thinking about how boring history is I'm going to stop you right there and repeat the phrase "narrative history." Laura Hillenbrand wrote the book in the same style as a novel. It looks like a novel, it feels like one, and it even sometimes tastes like one. Except it is all fact and no fiction which will boggle your mind as you read along. It is hard believe the story is true, but Hillenbrand offers up about 50 pages of notes at the very end of the book listing facts and figures. There are footnotes scattered about the book as well offering sources and additional information to help you understand the people, situations and, yes, the history all a little bit better.

I learned more about B-24's than I ever though I could want to know. And when the B-29's rolled out I could have hit the roof cheering! Hillenbrand writes so very well that I actually cared about the makes and models of airplanes. That kind of writing takes talent, folks, and she's got it in spades! She draws the reader in all gentle-like and then stirs their soul, causing them to take on causes and care about the emotions of the past. She paints a picture of the horror of war that will make your blood run positively frigid cold. And then two paragraphs later, the American reader will be out hoisting the flag above their home. Unbroken is a phenomenal story.

Yes, the book is also a difficult read and I'm going to warn you that the first 1/3 of the book might make you wander why on earth I'm recommending it. (I confess to maybe wondering about Amy just a little...) but you'll get to about the halfway point and bells will start going off in your brain. Then you'll complete it and then, well, I'll just reference you back to that bit about thanking me for the experience. It is a book about war so it is not going to be pretty. War isn't pretty. I like the fact that Hillenbrand spells that out for us. I didn't feel as if she were sadistically torturing her reader with unnecessary facts but, rather, she was teaching the reader (subtly!) to be extremely grateful for the past so that we will know what to value in the future.

Hillenbrand gave us history that we can be proud of, grateful for and can stand to learn a thing or two from. Most of all, she breeds gratefulness for all that we've been given as a nation, which comes from all of the places our nation has been.

My one and only regret in reading this book is that my dad isn't around to pass it along to. This is one of those perfect reading experiences that you want to share with the person who you know it will mean a great deal to. My dad would absolutely be enthralled by this book and I would love to share and snicker over certain passages with him. Alas, I cannot do that. My consolation in the grief is that one day he'll get to hear this story for himself. What a thrilling story it is to tell and to hear.

Wait -

So why, exactly, are you still sitting here?

(Many, many thanks to Amy who reviewed Unbroken HERE and adds a thought or two to my own.)

Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives, by Charles Swindoll

Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives is the next-to-last book in Charles Swindoll's Great Lives series which I have been reading this year. My goal was to read one title a month (taking off the summer months) and complete the series by the end of this year. I've almost accomplished that (being in the middle of reading Jesus: The Greatest Life of All at the present moment.) I have, however, decided not to "review" or share my thoughts on Jesus because exactly how would I do that?

"What I learned from Jesus" just doesn't seem to be a topic one could narrow down sufficiently to fit into a piddly book review so I'm not even going to try. I will therefore conclude my discussions of this series with Forgotten Lives although I don't really think that they are quite so forgotten as much as perhaps they are just not talked about a great deal.

In Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives, Swindoll discusses 13 different people and various lessons that we can learn from each of them. These persons include: Cain, Abraham, Esau, Achan, Samuel, Saul, Abigail, Absalom, Rehoboam, Jabez, Naaman, Gehazi and Uzziah. (By the way, anyone who has any complaint about what we're naming our children or what you are naming yours should hold their tongue. I could have gone with Uzziah!)

As usual, when I read these Great Lives books I walk away with particular impressions. Here is what I have learned so far:

1. I am created for a purpose (David);
2. God will work that purpose in His time frame (Esther);
3. God will work in ways that may be painful, but He will teach me to live in the pain, through the pain and beyond it and can work in me a tender heart as a result of it (Joseph);
4. God honors faithful obedience (Moses);
5. God moves us into periods of quiet solitude where we can be alone with Him, in order to mature us (Elijah);
6. It is not for me to compare my journey to the journey of others (Paul);
7. I should be careful how I discuss and discern the journey of others (Job);
8. God has great lessons to teach each individual person, and frequently He'll use us to teach others (Forgotten Lives); and
9. I have a lot to learn (Jesus.)

(Names are all linked to my prior reviews/thoughts.)

I think for the purpose of this post I'm going to limit myself to talking about Cain and what Swindoll pulls from his life as a lesson to us all.

Swindoll is discussing the fact that God accepted the offering which Abel, Cain's brother brought to the Almighty, but that He was displeased with Cain's grain offering. Why? For what reason? Why wasn't Cain's gift just as acceptable as Abel's and why the rejection? Swindoll points out the fact that Cain's offering "had neither the form nor the spirit God desired. Abel's was excellent; Cain's was mediocre. This should serve as a warning to anyone who thinks that God will accept anything we choose to bring as long as we're sincere." (page 21)

In a day and age where "anything goes" to the point where Christians are persuaded that sincerity is it's own virtue, Swindoll takes the time to remind his readers that God is holy and God is just. Obedience is required over sincerity - for a human can be sincerely wrong. It is important to know Who God Is and what He requires and desires. Because what He wants is much more important than what I want.

Swindoll says:

""There are many paths to God," some say, "so no particular belief is 'right' or 'wrong,' so long as you sincerely seek Him." And that, according to Scripture, is sincerely wrong! Sincerely place your trust in any means, or any person, other than Jesus Christ who shed His blood for our sins, and God will not receive you . . . sincerely (see John 14:6 and Acts 4:12). If that sounds harsh, let me offer two perspectives for your consideration.

First, the Lord is loving and kind, but He is also just. He is a very discriminating heavenly Father who has been specific in how we are to come to Him, but He could not have made that way any less complicated. He provides the free gift of salvation, paid for by the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, and has left nothing for us to pay. He's done everything that needs to be done, leaving us no requirement but one: receive the gift. That's about as harsh as a billionaire demanding that you allow him to give you all of his money. Grace abounds.

Second, faith demands action. If you really believe God, you will do what He says, when He says it, and how He wants it. Cain came in his own way. Abel came God's way. The manner in which both men approached God revealed the authenticity of their faith." (page 21-22)

What we desire or think should be is ultimately of no consequence. If we say that we believe God, then, again, we must know Him to know what He requires of us. And what is one main thing that is required? To believe.

I really think that summarizes why I read, actually. I get asked a lot, "How do you find the time to read so much?" Honestly, I don't think I can afford to take the time not to read. In reading scripture I learn more of Who God is directly. In reading commentaries and books on the Christian faith, I learn better how to correctly and accurately apply scriptural truths to my life. By learning (it is a process and a learning curve I still grapple with!) to be more discerning with the books I pick up, I find my thoughts tested and examined both by the scriptures and by men and women who strive to serve and love God with their whole hearts, bodies and minds. I benefit from the lessons that the authors I have read have already learned and are eager to pass along to all of us.

How can we not read? How can we not read His word? Why do we so easily dismiss it? Why do we walk away from the hard passages and pretend they don't exist? Why do we try to not learn as much as we can about God so that we can go about in whatever manner we like and think to ourselves that ignorance will pardon us? We are half-hearted in our faith - picking out that which we do not like and building thrones for whatever part we do like (i..e, up with grace, down with consequences of sin). We build pedestals for everything and everyone but God. And when we do that, we will understand Him less and we risk the danger of approaching Him in the same manner that Cain did - with a lack of understanding and a spirit of self-love that will be to our detriment.

I am a sinner. Yes indeed I am! I make mistakes. I forget what God likes and what He expects of me. I make excuses as to why I "can't possibly" meet His expectations. But those are the moments when I most need to say, "Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief and teach me to walk in Your ways." He will meet me there. Why should I doubt it? I have no reason to. He always has.

Yes, this has been a beneficial series for me to read and I honestly thank God that He led Charles Swindoll to write them. If you haven't had a chance to read any of the books in the Great Lives series, I would urge you to do so. It honestly doesn't matter which title you pick up because there is plenty to learn from any of them. They are definitely not a waste of time. My only prayer is that they'll stick with me, long after the books covers have been closed. It has definitely been worth the time investment!

Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women (giveaway)

Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women was just recently released in paperback by Picador and yes, I happily accepted a copy for review! With all the buzz around The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott earlier this summer, I felt like I wanted to start off learning more about Louisa May Alcott by reading a biography of her. (Yes, I still plan on reading The Lost Summer. I just haven't gotten to it yet. If you haven't heard of it, check out Judy's review of the title.)

It took longer for me to read through Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women than I originally planned on, but the reason for that was that I was lingering in this well-told biography. Harriet Reisen is a Louisa May Alcott fanatic and wanted to write a fair and accurate portrayal of this famous authoress. Reisen didn't feel other biographers were quite doing Alcott justice and so she purposed to leave no stone unturned when writing this particular work. I love both Reisen's passion and sensible writing. Even though I knew that she had a "thing" for Alcott and her stories, that bias didn't play through the read for which I was grateful. I felt like I was being presented with facts and given the freedom to form my own opinion of Alcott's life. (And yes, I did establish some pretty firm opinions on a number of issues!)

There were points in time during this read that I wondered if I would ever be interested in picking up an Alcott book ever again. I found her life to be depressing, mostly because of the way her father treated the family. Bronson Alcott was loved by his family, to be sure, but today we'd call him a "lazy bum" and he was that. He felt himself "too good" to work for money. He prided himself on his intellect (I'd argue about that too) and felt that others existed to support him and there was no need for him to "stoop" to physical labor to feed and cloth his family. Reisen makes no excuses for Bronson, but does suggest that he was mentally unstable. I would call the way he lived his life positively sinful and arrogant (or arrogantly sinful) and while I do believe he suffered from a depression (that was passed along to his daughter, Louisa!) I don't feel as if that is a good excuse. The man despised his family in thought, word and deed. I've no respect for him.

Louisa, as it turns out, felt her family's deficiencies keenly and when she was older she purposed to make as much money as she could to pay off family debts. Writing for her was more about money than pleasure. It's hard to imagine, perhaps, given some of her tales, but it is true.

Speaking of truth, there are a world of things I could say about this book. I found it to be utterly absorbing and I enjoyed every single page - even when Alcott philosophy was getting under my skin! In fact, I enjoyed this so thoroughly that when my eyes would start to wander and skim a paragraph, I'd discover that I had lost information and would have to back track. It's rare that a book contains so much information and lays the story out so very well that you find yourself riveted to each word but this is one such biography (at least for me!)

At the risk of this post being enormously long, and not getting to the part that I know you're waiting for, let me just say that if you are looking for a good biography to read on the life of Louisa May Alcott - this is the one!!

Now for the fun - Picador has graciously and generously offered a giveaway copy of Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women to one of you! Would you like to win? Simply leave a comment below (including a valid e-mail address)! This contest is open to U.S. Residents only and will be open through Tuesday, November 16th!

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THE WINNER, as selected by random.org, IS #11 - Amy! Congrats, Amy! I hope you enjoy it!

If you think this book sounds interesting, you'll be happy to know that there is a documentary of Louisa May Alcott which is based on this book. (I, for one, am now incredibly curious to see it!)

For you Facebook Fans (I am not one!) you might also want to check out the book's Facebook page.

Thank you, Picador, both for sending me a copy and for offering one to one of my readers!

Job: A Man of Heroic Endurance

I imagine that it'll be a little hard to convince most people that they want to read about Job. He's not exactly a popular guy. It's not because he was bad, wicked or despicable in any way. In fact, he was none of these. But he did suffer a lot in his life and this modern day society doesn't know how to come near anyone who is suffering. We all suffer, of course, and wish other people would come to us and comfort us in our own personal hour of need. Yet when we look around us and see the pain of someone else, we try to subtly stay as far away from them as humanly possible.

With that all said, I can't say that I particularly enjoyed reading this particular book in Swindoll's Great Lives Series. It just felt so long and comfortless. Yet, I am glad to have read it as this series really has challenged me in many ways this past year.

With each of the books in this series I've walked away with a particular point that was glaring at me after reading the book/reading the scriptural references. When it came to Job the theme throughout the book (for me) was: the need for wise words.

I recently read A Way With Words, by Christin Ditchfield (linked to my review) and that book kept coming to mind as I read through Great Lives: Job: A Man of Heroic Endurance. I kept thinking about Job's friends (Bildad, Zophar, Eliphaz, and Elihu). These men really were not good with words. At all. I wouldn't have wanted any of them near me during my own personal trials. Yet there are times when I feel as if I've met one or two of these men and I bet you have too. (And, likely, a time when I've been one or two of these men and I bet you've been the same yourself!) So Job, as much as I dislike wallowing in his grief, I saw as being entirely relevant for today.

I won't list Job's grievances here, but suffice it to say that there is a long, grim list. For purposes of this post, I just want to focus on Bildad, Zophar, Eliphaz and Elihu and how they exist to teach us /me what not to say to those who are hurt, wounded or sick (those issues not caused by a natural consequence of a sinful habit or choice.)

These four men originally came to Job with good intentions. They originally came to him in his hour of deep sorrow in order to comfort him. When they arrived and saw him, they ripped their clothes in grief and sat down beside him. For one week they didn't say anything to him at all. They saw that his sorrow was great and so they chose to simply be silent and sit with him. Then, after a week of watching him be miserable, they suddenly had had enough.

Isn't that so like us today? We all have great intentions of walking alongside friends and loved ones. But then their sorrow just goes on and on and on sometimes. You start thinking to yourself, "Good grief! When are you going to get over this?" The media today doesn't help our attention spans either. Life is all about this present moment. Tragedy is here today and hopefully gone tomorrow. We'd prefer not to think on it for too long because it "brings us down." We're impatient and we're cruel to one another when we refuse to weep with those who weep. We'd just rather laugh and have a good time. Conflict and heartache are words we'd like to leave out of our vocabulary. We remove ourselves from pain in the following ways:

1. We/I say that we're just "so busy" that we can't stop to care. ("Well, I'd love to help but...")
2. We/I justify to ourselves that our own misery is worse than the person that we're looking at. ("Well, they might have it rough for a day or two but look at me and the thorn in my side...")
3. We're/I'm too cowardly to walk up to the person, sit next to them and say, "I'm here when you need me." And if we do work up the courage to say that much, we don't really mean it. They know it and we do also. It just seemed like "the right thing to say at the time."
4. We/I express instant sympathy but then when their problems and pain drags on too long, we walk away and do our best to fill our time and thoughts up with others things so that we can more easily walk away from the problem.

Job's friends weren't just content to remain quietly supportive. Sure, they had traveled to see him but the more he lamented his losses the more angry they became at him. In a Carrie paraphrase of what they said to him it would sound something like that, "Job, clearly you've done something wrong. You either don't have enough faith in God or you've sinned against Him in some other stupid way. Repent! Repent! Repent! You are evil and wicked, obviously. You are a bad man or else this wouldn't have happened to you! Repent! Repent! Repent! And in the meantime, stop your sniveling!! We're sick of hearing it!"

Nice guys, don'tcha think? But are those guys us - today? I think that's worth some introspection, personally.

Pain is mean and nasty. But it visits each of us in different ways and in different times. I think if we're truthful about pain, we would admit that sometimes it not so much the painful circumstances that are getting to us, but the fact that no one else is around to care or help us through it. It's when other people decide we're "too much" that we end up feeling the most hopeless, helpless and alone. Just when Job needed people to come, sit, take care of his and his wife's needs, just listen - they started kicking him when he was down. We like to do that to people. Sometimes we don't know we're doing that but that doesn't make our lack of compassion any less sinful.

Grace towards one another is an attribute lacking in today's society. Endurance and - dare I suggest? - well-thought-out words should be the rule but instead are the exception.

I've been impressed that I really need to focus more on speaking wisely, well and actually meaning the words that come out of my mouth when it comes to my intentions to help another or have fellowship with them in a "tough spot." That brings me back to A Way With Words, by Ditchfield.

Words that we/I should probably not speak to someone in great need:

1. Unsolicited advice (Ooo! ow!);
2. Words that suggest a lack of faith if you see anything "lacking" in the life of another;
3. Gossip (mere speculation!);
4. Lies (which does includes exaggeration of facts.)

I will conclude with a paragraph from Swindoll's book:

"The most treacherous enemy in the church is the tongue. The human tongue has done more damage and caused more heartaches than any other source of trouble. What we say cuts far deeper than any knife or sword. The Bible occasionally presents the tongue as a sword that thrusts its way into other's lives causing deep, lingering hurt." (page 163)

It would probably be a good idea for us each to take some time to remember this every now and again, most especially when you see someone knocked down who is struggling to get up again. Accusations and speculations aren't in our realm of responsibility. Faithful compassion and commitment to truth is.

(One final note that I really must clarify. Obviously we see people making choices that are clearly wrong or damaging and those choices will indeed have consequences. I am by no means suggesting, nor is Swindoll, that the consequences are to be swept under the rug with "compassion" or "grace." Sin is sin and it will bring a pain of its own. My entire points made above relate to agonies such as a death in the family, a house burned down, a false accusation, a missing relative, a long-term illness, a lost job and financial difficulties, etc., etc. Cancer doesn't come because someone lacked faith. It strikes the believer to the core just as much as the non-believer and so I'm talking about caring for those who "have it rough" and hanging with them for the long haul.)

Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit, by Charles Swindoll

This past month I jumped back on the bandwagon to continue reading through Charles Swindoll's Great Lives series this year. Paul is the sixth book in the series of nine books. I should be able to finish up right on time! I've had these books sitting on my shelf for a long time and just haven't managed to get to them yet, but I figured I could give myself the year and make it through.

Here are the others in the series that I have read so far, and what I've learned (primarily) from each:

1. I am created for a purpose (David);
2. God will work that purpose in His time frame (Esther);
3. God will work in ways that may be painful, but He will teach me to live in the pain, through the pain and beyond it and can work in me a tender heart as a result of it (Joseph);
4. God honors faithful obedience (Moses);
5. God moves us into periods of quiet solitude where we can be alone with Him, in order to mature us (Elijah); and
6. It is not for me to compare my journey to the journey of others. (Paul)

Many of these same lesson from the "Great Lives series" overlap in Swindoll's book on the life of Paul. But then that is kind of the way that scripture is. It is filled with staid and steady truths which God repeats for our benefit. He shows us His consistency in the lives of Biblical characters. Paul learned many of the same things David learned - although Paul experienced a different life and lived through different circumstances. Paul suffered pain and disgrace, just like Joseph, but Paul was not a slave. Yet God worked in each individual to produce holiness and faithfulness by use of the same tools: trials and tribulations. (Oh joy!)

I think the same is true for us today. God hasn't changed, nor have the truths which are presented in His word. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Our individual life experiences may differ, but each set of circumstances are used ultimately for the glory of God. Our particular circumstances are designed to cause us to come to Him and know more of Him and who He is. So instead of coming together to play comparison games, it would be of greater benefit to come together and declare the goodness of God and truths in His word in order to encourage one another and build each other up. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

I rather sincerely doubt that Paul is up in Heaven telling the other saints that he had it worse here on earth than any of them. (Peter: "Well, I was crucified upside down!" Paul: "Oh yeah. Well, they chopped off my head!" Although imagining the things they suffered can frequently put our own life in perspective, can it not?) My guess is that they boast only in the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 1:29-30; Romans 15:17-21)

Certainly we find it easier to identify with certain individuals over others. You might, for instance, sympathize more with Job than Paul. Or perhaps you are drawn to the heart of Esther over Mary. Maybe you think Noah was more inspiring than Timothy, etc. Who you connect with does not determine who God ultimately is though. I think we make the mistake of saying things in response to challenges and situations such as, "Well, my god wouldn't do something like that" as if He were different to one person over another. If we're going to be factual and accurate, the God of the Bible would show consistency of character and truth no matter what set of circumstances or who the person is that is being dealt with (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). He is truth always and at all times. He is unchanging and eternal. He cannot change but we do, in response to who He is.

Per usual, as I read through Paul I marked particular remarks that Swindoll was making about the life of Paul that were particularly meaningful to me or were insightful in a way that allowed me to more easily apply some Biblical truths to my own life. But the bottom line of what I realized was that God is about His glory. All the time.

These three verses stand out, as applying to all of the "Great Lives" I have read, as well as to my own life and each of your own personal stories that you've been kind enough to share with me through e-mails, comments, on your own blogs, and, when I'm lucky - in real life!:

He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said. Job 2:10

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. Philippians 4:12

No matter what pain it is that we might suffer in life, God is gracious and merciful, full of compassion, slow to anger and rich in love. (Ps. 145:8) This verse is not saying that He is easy going and allows His people to do their own thing and follow after their own way. Rather the reverse is true. His refining fire works in us to produce holiness, for our own good, and for His glory. Again, this does not mean life will be easy. But in the end - and hopefully even in the middle of it - we will learn to say with Paul that we have learned to be content in every circumstance. Even in our darkest, most miserable hours we can experienced joy and know that God is very, very good. What a wonderful thing that would be.

In summary - I think the sooner we get over ourselves, the better.

Turn up the volume (way up) for this one:

Looking for Calvin and Hobbes, by Nevin Martell

This book kind of took me off guard and affected me in a rather surprising way. Of course I was initially intrigued at the thought of reading it. Bill Watterson? Calvin and Hobbes? What could go wrong? The full title of this book is Looking for Calvin and Hobbes: The Unconventional Story of Bill Watterson and his Revolutionary Comic Strip As many of you are likely aware, cartoonist Bill Watterson has opted to live an extremely private life and there is little to find out or know about the man behind Calvin and his best friend, Hobbes. A thirst for knowledge about Watterson drives Martell forward as he is writing this book. I kinda of thought it would be a curious and fun read but here's what happened instead . . .

Martell opened Looking for Calvin and Hobbes up by reminding his readers how intensely private Watterson is. He tells us that Watterson has refused all interviews and thinks people are making too big a deal out of the cartoonist. He wants to be left alone and he doesn't understand the hoopla. Watterson has never enjoyed giving interviews and keeps whatever public comments he does make focused on the comic strip and leaves out any personal details of his life. That's how he likes it.

Martell then launches into an explanation of how he absolutely adored comics as he was growing up and how he fell in love with Calvin and Hobbes. Martell tells his readers that he enjoys writing but wanted to write a book about a.) something that he loved and b.) something that he didn't know very much about. After a little reflection he landed on the idea of writing about Watterson and he set out to discover as much as he could about the man.

I promptly lost interest in most of the book.

Why's that?

Watterson wants his private life left alone. He doesn't want us to know about him and he doesn't offer up information. Live and let live (but truly live!) seems to be the motto he goes by and the only information that is to be gotten must be coerced/requested out of friends and loved ones. I have to say, I have very little respect for someone who goes about asking for information from acquaintances and friends about a person you care to know something about. To me that kinda boils your conversations down to gossip. "Spill the beans! Tell me all you know!" If the direct source isn't interested in talking - don't push it. Let it be.

Now, I did enjoy the little historical tidbits of information that Martell gave us about Calvin and Hobbes the comic strip. I found myself skimming the book, looking for that information. If he got too personal in his information about Watterson - I pretty much skipped and skimmed. What Watterson doesn't want me to know, I don't want to know about. I don't need to know about it. It's not my inherent right as a human being, an American, or a lover of Calvin and Hobbes. Watterson was born, he led a quiet life, he got married, and he's alive and enjoying life as best as he can. If I were him, I'd want to fade into the background as well. I understand his desire for privacy and I think that should be honored. We Americans tend to think we "need" to know everything there is to know about everyone and everything. We think we were born with rights to dissect and rule the lives of others but we simply are not in possession of that right. I found myself becoming more perturbed by the idea of this book and therefore was unable to sit back and just enjoy it for whatever it was that Martell wanted it to be. A work of devotion? A fan's journey trying to get as close to Watterson as possible?

Now, like I said, I did enjoy learning a bit of the history behind the comic strip and how it came to be. I liked the interviews with original editors and Big Wigs who helped birth Calvin & Hobbes. It's fascinating to hear about how Watterson brought these characters to life and I would enjoy a more thorough work on that subject matter. But learning about Watterson just so that we can say we learned something he didn't want us to know about him? That's... not so very cool in my book.

Looking for Calvin and Hobbes probably won't effect everyone the same way it did me. In fact, I've had to sit on this review for awhile and determine whether or not I really wanted to publish it! It will most likely come across as negative and I do have that intent in writing what I've written. I struggle against gossip and my feathers are ruffled when people hunt around for information after the direct source has declined to offer any. I feel like this book, although I know it is not the author's intention, shows a lack of respect for Watterson and his wishes. Because I knew Watterson wasn't the one giving out the information and refused involvement with the book, I couldn't read about anything personal. I wasn't invited to do so.

I get rankled by Hollywood - wanting to dissect human beings before our very eyes so that we can feast on other people's lives. I get rankled by the public who demands to know specifics about our military operations when our military is trying to stealthily and swiftly win wars. I miss the respect people had during World War II and the good old slogan against gossip and rumors: "Loose Lips Sink Ships." I think that is very true. Our speech and what we choose to investigate and talk about should be edifying and uplifting and I don't think Martell manages to pull that off with this book. So I take issue with it, without knowing Watterson at all. If I were Watterson, I would be rolling my eyes at this book- at the very least!

I'm happy knowing Calvin and Hobbes and that truly is enough for me. If you want to talk about the history of the strip - hey! I'm all ears! But about Watterson? Let's just enjoy the humor of the characters he created, what say?

And if you are looking for Calvin and Hobbes? Well, here they are, just as Watterson would want you to find them:


I would be remiss if I did not thank Continuum for sending me a copy of this book for review. Although it isn't typically my policy to publish a negative review of a book, I had such strong feelings about the means of creating this one that I felt I had to voice them. So I must send both my apologies and respects to Continuum and would want to quickly note that these opinions belong only to myself and I fully recognize that many other fans of Calvin & Hobbes are going to be interested and intrigued. Obviously - I was!