The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales :: Reading to Know Classics Bookclub (November)

Yes. Yes, we are into the second week of November but last week was all about some fun giveaways so I didn't set the stage for this month's book club read. I hope you can forgive me. I'm here to do this now!


Rebekah from Bekahcubed is hosting this month's book club read and discussion and she selected The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales
for us to read. Below are her introductory thoughts:

*****

I have long loved fairy tales as I knew them - generally from popular saccharine representations in children's picture books and (of course) Disney movies. Later on, I came to love young adult fairy tale novelizations such as those by Jessica Day George and Robin McKinley. But, apart from my childhood reading and re-reading of Anderson's Fairy Tales, I haven't read many original fairy tales.

Since I am familiar with Hans Christian Anderson's original tales, I've selected a less familiar collection of originals for this month's Reading to Know Book Club - Grimms' Fairy Tales (link to Wikipedia).

The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales include 200 separate tales - familiar tales such as Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, and Little Red Riding Hood, but also much less familiar ones. Since the volumes are rather large, I don't expect that many of us will read them in their entirety (I’m going to try but to give myself plenty of grace if I don’t end up doing so!). So this challenge will be to read one or more of the Grimm brothers' original fairy tales and to write about them so we all can learn a bit more about the tales behind the children's storybook versions.

Any takers?

*****
Let us know in the comment section if you plan to read along! We'd love to hear from you.

The Hound of the Baskervilles, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

This month the Reading to Know Classics book club is reading The Hound of the Baskervilles which was chosen for us by my friend Sky. Coincidentally, this is also the book that my in town bookclub is reading (because it was my turn to pick!). I haven't read anything by Conan Doyle in awhile and it was nice to be given the excuse.

My reading of The Hound of the Baskervilles was most definitely enriched and helped along by Sky's introductory post. I appreciated her giving me a background knowledge of the story and how it came to be. (If you missed her explanation, be sure to check that out.)

I never feel like I can say much more than "I liked it" or "I didn't like it" about well-known classics. I know the same problem exists for many of you (which is a comfort to me - heh). In the case of The Hound of the Baskervilles I can say of it, "I liked it." It was entertaining and enjoyable. I'm pretty sure I've read it before, but I didn't remain the end so it remained a mystery all the way through.

This is a short read (so if by chance you were still hoping to read it, know that it goes quick!). It is both suspenseful and spooky. That said, it's not so spooky that I wouldn't feel comfortable reading it at night. (I read it during the day though, just to be safe!) Modern novels are ever so much more spooky than Doyle, I think. Doyle presents just enough of a thrill to keep you on your toes but not do you in.

As you can see, I'm not coming up with anything remotely brilliant to say about this book that goes beyond a sentence of favor. In order to make this review even moderately worthwhile (although not by much), here's an interesting factoid I learned about it:

In 1902 the original manuscript was broken apart into individual leaves. The leaves were then used as part of window displays by American bookstore as part of a promotional campaign. It is estimated that there were 185 leaves, and only 36 are known to still exist, including all of the leaves from Chapter 11. These are now owned by the New York Public Library. The rest of the leaves are owned by university libraries and private collectors. Americans have interesting concepts of what would make for good marketing ploys sometimes. Whether posting the original leaves from this story were helpful or not, it is safe to say that this story has done well with the public.

Many thanks to Sky for recommending this read so that I could spend a little time with one of the great masters of mystery this past month. Much appreciated!

For those of you who read along, plan to come back on Friday, October 30th for the wrap-up post.

The Hound of the Baskervilles :: Reading to Know Bookclub (October)

We're very near the end of the year and on one of our last book club reads, can you believe it?! This month my friend Sky from Circus Caravan of My Thoughts on Things will be leading the discussion and she has selected The Hound of the Baskervilles, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for us to read. I always like the books she picks. She likes to go on adventures and so I'm looking forward to reading this title.

(I may have read it before. In fact, I'm pretty sure that I have. But I can't remember the end of the story so it will be freshly enjoyable! Ha!)

Here are Sky's thoughts on the book to kick us off and get us started:

*****

Do you know those books, the ones that are time portals?

They replace your current situation, the smells, space and surroundings with something completely alien to your existence and yet you feel perfectly at home.

For me, Sherlock's world does that. He is one of those characters that I would recognize strolling down the street in my world. Like Gandalf, Samwise Gamgee, or Mr Tumnus, I would grab him by the arm, hit the nearest coffee shop and ply them with hot brew, scones and questions!

I first read the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes the winter of '96. And since I was in the cold mountains of the North I always associate Sherlock with a biting cold outside and a warm tea inside.

Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle, the author of Sherlock's stories, had problems getting his stories published at first and many of his early works were in serial magazines. Soon people realized how precious his writings were and would pay atrocious sums for the next Sherlock, resulting in him being one of the highest paid authors of his time.

Yet he despised his hero and in November 1891 he wrote to his mother: "I think of slaying Holmes... and winding him up for good and all. He takes my mind from better things."

In December 1893 he did kill Sherlock, without any intention of bringing him back, but the public outcry was so disruptive and intrusive on his life that he had to bring his hero back, much to his own chagrin!

Eight years later The Hound of the Baskervilles was released to the public and when I read it, I can imagine the relief of the world as they held yet another story in their hands, as if their hero had come back to life. (It was set into the time before his written demise so he didn't truly come back to life until The Adventure of the Empty House that Doyle wrote a year later.)

Since then, Sherlock has seen not the grave nor gathered dust on an unread bookshelf. He has surpassed time, technology and space.

Unlike many Sherlock purists, I absolutely love the way he has been brought into this decade. In fact I think that the newer movies and shows are a better representation of Sherlock than the Basil Rathbone films, which I love as well. But we must remember that Sherlock was always doing strange and adventurous things to pursue his odd hobby of death and crime. He was a boxer, swordsman, pistol duelist, martial artist and forensic scientist.

As we enter into this past world of Victorian England and meet the strange people of Dartmoor, dabble our toes in the supernatural, and shiver and sip tea, I hope that you feel a small transport in time.

Enjoy the ride!

*****
Let us know in the comment section if you'll be reading along with us this month!

The Screwtape Letters :: RtK DISCUSSION post

This post marks the end of September's book club read of The Screwtape Letters and marks the beginning of the discussion. If you read along this month and wrote up a post detailing your thoughts, this is the post to leave a comment on, sharing the link to your post. If you don't have a blog and want to chime in on the conversation, please feel free to do so in the comment section below.

Barbara from Stray Thoughts selected this book for the group to read and wrote a blog post sharing her thoughts on this book. You can read her full review over at Stray Thoughts. Here is a portion to kick things off. Do note that if you have a link of your own to share, please do so here.



Without further ado - here are Barbara's thoughts:

*****
Lewis thought it might be both “entertaining and useful” to write a series of letters from an older devil to a younger apprentice in his work of tempting and tripping up a new “patient.” The type of approach, presenting “a negative point of view to lift up the positive,” was unusual for Lewis, but he felt it “would give a fresh, even comical perspective on the subject and might attract readers who might not normally think about such things.” Why a comical approach for such a serious subject, one that ended up being very difficult and unpleasant for Lewis to write about?” Partly to “[lure] the ordinary reader into a serious self-knowledge under pretense of being a kind of joke”* (McCusker’s preface) and because “humor involves a sense of proportion and a power of seeing yourself from the outside” (Lewis’s 1961 preface).

In his preface to the original edition, Lewis notes that “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.” In the same preface he “[advises the reader] to remember that the devil is a liar. Not everything that Screwtape says should be assumed to be true even from his own angle.” He writes in the preface to the 1961 edition that “Satan, the leader or dictator of the devils, is the opposite, not of God, but of Michael,” an archangel, and “God has no opposite.”

At first it is a little hard to get used to the reverse thinking of the letters: Screwtape refers to God as “the Enemy,” to the devil as “Our Father Below,” to his position in the “Lowerachy” of hell, etc. It takes frequent mental adjustments throughout the book, and I can see at least partly how it could seem so oppressive for Lewis to try to express what a devil’s thoughts might be.

To read further CLICK HERE.

*****
Thanks, Barbara, for hosting this month! Looking forward to hearing from others who read this title along with us this month OR at any time previously. Feel free to share your opinions with us!

The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis

This month's book club read is The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis. Barbara from Stray Thoughts selected this read for us and I was glad of it because I had been wanting to read it again but hadn't made the time. She gave me the time and that's rather a lovely gift.

I sat down with The Screwtape Letters late last week and read it in about two sittings. It's not a hard read or a long one. In case you are unaware of the premise of this book, it is one of Lewis's fictional works which was published in 1942. The story is told in letter form, wherein a head demon by the name of Screwtape is writing letters to his demon nephew, Wormwood. Wormwood's job is to keep the human from committing his life to "the Enemy" (who is, of course, the Christ) and his uncle is attempting to give advice and tips as to how Wormwood might go about accomplishing this task. It is, for the reader, a book about temptations in life and how to identify them properly and keep our eyes focused on Jesus.

In this book I think C.S. Lewis does what C.S. Lewis does best: he describes human nature to his readers in a clever way, using a dollop of wit and a garnish of irony. Some people aren't very prone to self-evaluation but Lewis most definitely made a regular habit out of doing so. In pondering his own attitudes he was able to pinpoint areas where humans think themselves noble or superior when they are, in fact, suffering from delusions of grandeur. We are a sad lot of humanity who think we have so many answers to all of life's many and varied problems. Yet so easily we give into the temptation to think ourselves "not as bad as all that" - an attitude which repeatedly dunks us into hot water time and time again. In The Screwtape Letters Lewis focuses a lot on how humans are so easily distracted from pursuing Christ by thinking of themselves when it comes to war, sex, intellectual capabilities, or taking some sort of moral high ground. He uses the demon characters of Screwtape and Wormwood to explain exactly how we humans let pride block our view of truth. This book a compelling and ingenious way to knock some sense into Lewis's readership.

Interesting to note, Lewis did not enjoy writing this book. He found it laborious and vowed never to write another book in letter form again. Unbeknownst to me, he did write an essay sequel to The Screwtape Letters called Screwtape Proposes a Toast. This was written in 1959. (Apparently in that one, Lewis uses Screwtape to raise some particular criticisms of public education.) The two are frequently printed together but as I have an old copy of Screwtape Letters I didn't know!

As you may or may not also be aware, The Screwtape Letters has been turned into an off-Broadway play, a fact I find rather unbelievable. (How was this done? Why?)

In case your imagination needs as much help as mine did:

Apparently there's been some talk of making a feature film out of it - rights have been purchased! - but that idea seems to have been shelved. I think that's a good choice. I think The Screwtape Letters is a story better left on the page.

I tried to pick out one particular passage that stood out to me as being rather convicting in order to talk about it, but this particular reading produced no such thing for me. I enjoyed it generally speaking but have nothing specific to highlight.

I do very much think it's a book that ought to be read by Christians everywhere. Although about demons, it's not at all spooky or scary. Rather it pushes the reader to a little self-evaluation which is always a profitable thing.

Thanks, Barbara, for selecting it for us! I look forward to hearing other people's thoughts on this title next Wednesday, September 30th.

The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis :: RtK Book Club (September)

Barbara from Stray Thoughts is here to host this month's discussion. She will share her thoughts below but first I just want to say that I always appreciate the books that Barbara chooses for us. She tends towards Christian classics which is fantastic. I'm glad to include those among the Reading to Know Book Club reads because, after all, I am a Christian and I would hope that is reflected in everything I do, right down to book club choices. I know Barbara feels the same and so I value her input into this little club.

Secondly, I appreciate her reads because she has exposed herself to a lot of books which I haven't paid much attention to. It is good to be given reason and opportunity to pick up books which she has loved and grapple through them a bit myself. I may not always love the book, but I love the thoughts and theological arguments which her choices cause me to work through. The books Barbara has selected for us may be short but they always manage to pack a punch and that makes them exciting to me.

I have read The Screwtape Letters but have been wanting to re-read them so I was delighted when Barbara said she would be choosing this title. I think it'll make for fun discussion.

Now, without further ado, here are Barbara's thoughts:

*****

I have been honored that Carrie has asked me to choose a book for her Reading to Know Book Club for the past few years. Normally I choose a book I know, love, have reread multiple times, and am eager to share with others.

This year I chose a book I have never read before: The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis. It is a series of letters that a senior demon writes to a junior demon-in-training. I enjoy reading Lewis, but I have avoided this book. Years ago when I first became a Christian, there was an emphasis on spiritual warfare that was honestly a little wonky in places. I read some of that kind of thing at the time, but later on avoided it except for when I would come across it in my Bible reading or heard it preached in church. I was always a little afraid of the devil. I knew he was greater and stronger than I was. I also knew that Jesus in me was greater than him, but I'd still rather keep my distance. I had this subconscious naive notion that if I left the devil alone, I wouldn't attract his attention and he wouldn't bother me as much. Some friends and I discussed once that our flesh gave us so much trouble that the devil didn't really have to do too much with us. Both are mistaken and unbiblical views. On the opposite extreme, I have also known people who give the devil too much credit and see him behind every problem or issue. It's good to be balanced in this area.

After reading some other Lewis books this year, I looked up some excerpts from this book online and felt that it was finally time to read it. The verse that keeps coming to mind is II Corinthians 2:11: "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices." It doesn't pay to be ignorant of his ways. From what I have seen so far, Lewis handles this whole topic with humor in some places but with convicting accuracy. I am looking forward to finally delving into this one because it is a classic I have neglected, because it is Lewis, and because I think it will be spiritually helpful. I hope you'll join us.

*****
Let us know if you plan to read along! We love hearing from you.

Laddie :: A Wrap Up Post

We're a little delayed in getting this post ready for the book club discussion but here are Heather's concluding thoughts on Laddie: A True Blue Story, by Gene Stratton Porter.


*****

I'm sorry this wrap-up post is a little late, but even though I've read Laddie before, I wanted to re-read the book in its entirety before writing some final thoughts. I don't often re-read books, but when I do it's always interesting to see what stands out to me most with each reading. So for my wrap-up post, I'd like to discuss some of the themes or ideas that have impacted me most, and I'd love to hear what you took away from the story, as well.

Like I mentioned in the introductory post, Laddie includes almost all of my favorite story elements - it is, quite simply, an enjoyable read. Yes, it's a bit idealistic, and perhaps the ending is wrapped up a bit too neatly, but overall I think it is an amazingly well-crafted story with a wide array of fascinating characters. As much as I enjoy the story, however, I'm repeatedly amazed at the solid, Christian values that Gene Stratton Porter conveys so effortlessly and unapologetically. I said before that it wasn't particularly a Christian book, because, of course, Christian fiction wasn't a "thing" when this was originally published in 1913. But it certainly gives us a picture of a Christian family in the late 1800's, living their faith throughout various trials and circumstances in their ordinary lives. It's astounding to think that this was the norm just 100-150 years ago (the book was published in 1913), and how far our culture has departed from basic Biblical understanding and values in the past 50 years or so. Though fiction, Laddie is a book that encourages me to continue to deliberately live Biblically even in the face of opposition.

I thought this might be a good book to read in August because there is so much about formal and informal education woven throughout the story. As a home schooling mom, I find the high standards of education to be both inspiring and humiliating. Memorizing almost the whole Bible was not so uncommon, and those old-fashioned McGuffey Readers weren't just for reading it seems! In this and the Little House books, I get the impression that when students learned their lessons, they memorized the whole book, both poetry and prose. How small our brain capacity has become, and how pitiful are my expectations for myself and my children! But book learning aside, Little Sister shows the value of learning from God's creation, and I'm challenged to send my kids outside more often, too!

Upon rereading Laddie this time, I was most struck with the humility and contentment in the adult characters of the Stanton family. Mother is content and rejoices in making a home for her family. She describes her husband as a man among men, though he did not have a prestigious title or great wealth, because he has faithfully cared for and improved all that he was given. Likewise, Laddie is willing even to lose the love of the Princess to follow in his father's footsteps, though he, too, could have succeeded in most anything he set out to do. How easy it is to always be looking beyond the place where we are, seeking great things for ourselves instead of being faithful in the small things that are before us. At the risk of being redundant, I have to share my favorite quote again, when Mrs. Stanton tells Mr. Pryor, “but neighbor, believe me, my highest aspiration is to be a clean, thrifty housekeeper, a bountiful cook, a faithful wife, a sympathetic mother. This is life work for any woman...” Amen!

I've heard that Gene Stratton Porter wrote many of her novels to please the romantic sentiments of early 20th century readers. Books such as Freckles and Girl of the Limberlost provided her bread and butter, but Laddie expressed what was dearest to her heart. It has a fair share of romance, but there is so much depth and wisdom in the characters and the narrative! I hope that you both enjoyed the story and came away encouraged for wherever you are in life today.

*****
Did you read along with us? Let us know in the comment section! We'd love to hear your thoughts on this read.

Laddie: A True Blue Story, by Gene Stratton Porter

To be honest, I wasn't looking forward to reading Laddie, by Gene Stratton Porter. Just a couple of years back, we in this book club read A Girl of the Limberlost and I can't say that I cared for it all that much. (The thing I did appreciate about that read was it "forcing" me to learn more about the author. I included several facts about her in my review of Limberlost which you might find interesting still.) This to say, it was not with high hopes that I approached Laddie. I read it in advance of this month because I sort of just wanted to get the read over with and not dread it until the last week of August. In retrospect, I'm chuckling at myself. Almost from the first page I absolutely loved this book and I can honestly say that I enjoyed every minute of it! (Thus giving me hope for Porter in general.)

Laddie was first published in 1913 and would seem to be the endearing sort of classic that everyone loves and no one hates. If you look at the Goodreads reviews, you'll note that this title receives high marks all around. In this story we are told about the Stanton family of Indiana through the eyes of their youngest daughter. Our narrator is known to us throughout the book as "Little Sister" and she comments on the adventures and escapades of both her parents, her older brothers and sisters, and the family's neighbors. This book is part romance, part adventure, part pioneer story and is generally plain, good fun.

Laddie is not only the title of the book but also the name of Little Sister's favorite older brother and it is this person that this story revolves around to a great degree. Laddie can do no wrong in his sister's eyes and they tend to wrap each other up in one another's doings and are great for keeping secrets with and for the other. Laddie's most important secret is that he has fallen in love with the new neighbors' daughter, Pamela Pryor. He doesn't necessarily want his parents to know just yet because he is unsure of his lady love's returned affections.  The Pryor family are not just new to the area, but prove shamefully unsocial and almost belligerent in the face of Christianity. Being that the Stanton family are devout believers, Laddie is taking his time in informing his family of his attachment simply because he knows that Pamela's family and his own might harbor huge objections to the match and he is hoping that time and care will heal a few wounds, bring light to darkness, and clarify the future.

Laddie's romantic pursuits make up a good portion of the book but there is also some adventure available through another of Little Sister's brothers. I don't want to give away all of the plot so I'll keep this short and sweet by letting you know that there is some lawbreaking going on and some tense moments for the pioneers who are hard at work building community with one another. I personally found this book to be very exciting and engaging. I found the characters to be easy to identify with and find sympathy for, no matter their position within the community.

I liked Laddie so much that I can see myself re-reading it. It didn't feel as forcefully fake or phony as A Girl of the Limberlost read off to me. (I'm aware that by saying that much, I'm offending a few who might find this other story of Porter's to be perfection itself. I'm sorry! Reader preference!) I found Laddie to be far superior in terms of story telling. It was less poetic, more straight forward prose, and was much more complex, with several of the storylines being combined together in a clever plot twist at the end. As a reader, I felt amply satisfied. I don't know how to explain it really, except to say that it feels like Porter thought through this story a little bit more. If all of her books were like this one, I can see myself liking her without exception.

There is still time in this month for you to get to this read if you haven't already. If you haven't, I highly recommend that you strive to do so. I think you'll find yourself delighted.

Thanks Heather for selecting this read for it! I'm much obliged for the nudge to read another of Porter's works.

Laddie, by Gene Stratton Porter :: Reading to Know Bookclub AUGUST

Greetings all! This is a book I'm excited to read. (Alright. Truthfully, I already read it in advance because I had some time to kill one day and I decided to launch in.) I loved the book and will be sharing my thoughts on it shortly. However, we mustn't put the cart before the horse, so here is Heather (of Lines From The Page) explaining why she chose this book.

*****

I grew up in the Midwest, but somehow I missed reading anything by Gene Stratton Porter until five or six years ago. It wasn't until I moved to Indiana and my local book club focused on Indiana authors for a few months that I first read Freckles, A Girl of the Limberlost, and Laddie. I've read Laddie at least twice more since then, and I'm thrilled to return to it again this August.

Freckles and A Girl of the Limberlost are quite similar in tone to L. M. Montgomery's writings, with common themes of orphans overcoming difficulties and finding success in life and love. But Laddie is considered the most autobiographical of all Gene Stratton Porter's novels. She was the youngest of twelve children, just like Little Sister, who here narrates her own story and that of her family. You will laugh at her brother Leon's antics, glean wisdom from her mother and father, and root for Laddie to win the hand of the Princess. It is really an amazing combination of beautiful prose, humor, wisdom, romance, and even a little mystery - all my favorite story elements in one package! What I love the most, however is that faith and family values are at the heart of this story. Though it is not particularly a "Christian" book, Biblical truths are woven all through it. I think you will find it inspiring, encouraging, and thoroughly enjoyable, and I look forward to sharing favorite parts and comparing notes at the end of the month.

Here is one of my favorite quotations to whet your appetite for some of the treasures you'll find in Laddie. This is mother speaking to her agnostic neighbor Mr. Pryor: "Had I life to live over, I see now where I could do more; but neighbor, believe me, my highest aspiration is to be a clean, thrifty housekeeper, a bountiful cook, a faithful wife, a sympathetic mother. That is life work for any woman, and to be a good woman is the greatest thing on earth."

*****
I hope you'll consider reading along with us this month. In order to remove any excuses you might have in not doing so, I'll note that Laddie is available for FREE on Kindle. You're welcome.

If you are or will consider reading along, we'd love to hear from you in the comment section below.

The Little Prince :: Reading to Know Classic Book Club DISCUSSION post

This month for the Reading to Know Book Club we read The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. This title was selected for us by Amy at Hope is the Word.

Normally it would be Amy who is wrapping up this book club discussion but if you've paid attention to her life over at Hope is the Word, you know that she is in the process of moving. Things are a little hectic and crazy over at her place at the moment and so I told her not to worry about writing up a blog post!

Instead of Amy you get me. I'm sorry for that too. Ha.

I read The Little Prince this past week. I found it be bizarre and confusing. I can't say that I got a whole lot of out if it and I can't in good conscious admit to enjoying it. Yet, there are those out there who absolutely love this book! I decided to spend my time in this post trying to find out why it came to be.

First, I went to thelittleprince.com and found this desscription of the book:

The author, an aviator, crashes with his aeroplane in the middle of the Sahara desert. While he is trying to repair his aeroplane, a little boy appears and asks him to draw a sheep. The author learns that The Little Prince comes from asteroid B-612 where he has left behind three volcanoes and a rose.

Before reaching Earth, he has visited other planets and met some very odd people: a king, a conceited man, a drunkard, a lamplighter, a geographer. . . .

In order to return to his planet and his rose, The Little Prince allows himself to be bitten by a poisonous snake. . . .

The aviator, who has succeeded in repairing his plane, also quits the desert. He still hopes The Little Prince will return one day and asks us to write and tell him if ever we should meet his friend.

In my online research I discovered that each planet that The Little Prince has visited is supposed to describe a different aspect of human nature. As I was reading the book I suspected that the planets each represented something but frankly I couldn't imagine what and I wasn't sure that I necessarily cared. As I mentioned, the book read off as a very odd little story to me and I like my stories to, well, make instant sense.

The Little Prince was published in 1943. After the outbreak of World War II, Saint-Exupéry was exiled to North America and during this period of upheaval in his life, alongside poor health, he wrote the majority of this book. It's meant as a children's book but there are apparently so many undertones and subjects for adult readers to dive into that it's enjoyed by people of all ages.

It is suspected that the character of the Little Prince was based on himself. The rose is thought to be his wife, Consuelo.

There is a great deal of information about Saint-Exupéry on Wikipedia and while I might normally copy more from the website to share with you all, in this case I'd just suggest going to reading through the page for yourself. There is a lot to learn about the man and this book.

I can't say that I'll be wanting to read this book again, but I can say that I appreciate it a little better knowing more about the personal history of the author.

Did you read along this month? We'd love to know about it if you did. Please let us know in the comment section below.

******


Next month begins the Chronicles of Narnia Reading Challenge here at Reading to Know. This will be held in conjunction with the book club. You've got a couple of days left to gear up for it. Looking forward to the challenge and the fun!

The Little Prince :: Reading to Know Classics Book Club (June)

Amy from Hope is the Word is hosting the book club for the month of June. Her selection for us is The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Her thoughts to get us started with our read are as follows:

*****

In considering books for this year's bookclub, I looked no further than my own Classics Club booklist which I compiled back in 2012. It's a list of books I want to get through, yes, but it's not one that I'm highly motivated to finish. Enter challenges and bookclubs. Somehow knowing that others are reading along with me (and depending on me for some sort of concluding thoughts!) is often just enough motivation. It also helps that this is an extremely short book, especially since my family is in the middle of a move. (We've lived the same place for sixteen years this month, and we have a lot of stuff!) I will in all likelihood read this one aloud to my children, though I am reserving the right to enjoy it on my own should I find that it isn't going to work well for us as a read-aloud.

What do I know about this book? Nothing, except that I see it quoted fairly frequently. According to Wikipedia, it is the third most translated book in the world. It looks like it's time I read it!

I'm looking forward to reading along with you all!

*****
We always love to know when others plan to read along with us. If you are hoping to do so, let us us know in the comment section. I own a copy of this book and will definitely be reading along with. (I too am glad it's a short read this month!)

Christy :: Reading to Know Classics Book Club Discussion (May)

Ok, we might be a few days behind here but let's get crackin' on wrapping up last month's Reading to Know Book Club Read. Stephanie from Simple Things had selected Christy, by Catherine Marshall for us to read. I have to confess that I (regrettably) did not get to read along because I couldn't find a copy anywhere! I was dismayed to discover that this book isn't available on Kindle (which is always my back-up plan when I can't find the book). Whenever I do manage to get my hands on a copy, I would love to read it. In the meantime, I'm going to have to live vicariously through those of you who did.

Below you'll find Stephanie's thoughts on the book. If you read along, please sure a link to your blog post containing your thoughts in the comment section below. Or if you want to share your thoughts directly into the comment section, please feel free to do that.

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Well, it has been a delight returning to Cutter’s Gap and becoming reacquainted with Christy Huddleston, Alice Henderson and the rest of the characters in Christy. And, I was definitely right about it being a different reading experience as a mama and adult from the last time I read it! (I actually found a bank deposit slip in the book from 2001 so that’s when I’m guessing the last time I read it was – fourteen years ago!)

As an adult with experienced eyes now reading this, I can see this is so much more than a book about a young girl trying to find her place in the world. It’s more than just figuring out “what do I want to be when I grow up?” It’s more about learning to live without the safety net of one’s home and parents. This book is the journey of Christy’s faith in Christ. As someone who was a regular pew sitting church attender (just like I was at her age), her move to Cutter’s Gap was when Christy had to figure out what her faith in Christ really meant, and if He was enough in the hard circumstances that she faces. Isn’t that when most of us have to decide if we are going to pursue our own walk with the Lord – when we realize that we can’t depend on our parents’ faith and guidance to keep us in church and in the Word?

I loved this quote by Alice Henderson:

“Remember, I said it was God who was prying the little girl’s hands off her eyes. As if He were saying, ‘I can’t use ivory tower followers. They are plaster of paris, they crumble and fall apart in life’s press. So you’ve got to see life the way it really is before you can do anything about evil. You cannot vanquish it. I can. But in my world the battle against evil has to be a joint endeavor. You and Me. I, God, in you, can have the victory every time.’ After that, He was always right there beside me, looking at the dreadful sights with compassion and love and heartbreak His caring and His love were too real for bitterness to grow in me."

Another favorite quote from her:

“We Friends say that all discouragement is from an evil source and can only end in more evil. Wallowing in self-condemnation or feeling sorry for yourself is worse than falling on your face in the first place.”

I think Alice Henderson is someone I would have liked to have had mentor me as a young girl. I might need to hear this once or a hundred times. :)

I find it interesting that I read this book after completing a study of the book of Romans (how’s that for firming up your salvation and the truths therin) and now I'm working through the book of 1 John. Two verses from each of these respective books capture the essence of what I think Christy’s lessons were this first year in Cutter Gap.

First from Romans 12:9-13:

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

And from 1 John 3:16-17:

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?

This is what I think was at the heart of Christy's lessons - learning to abide in Christ and what the outpouring of that abiding would be in the life of the community she served. To love them unquestioningly and point them to Jesus.

I hope you enjoyed reading this along with me. (Thanks, Carrie, for the opportunity to host!) I’ll leave you with one more quote that I loved from the story – not at all politically correct in today’s culture, but in my opinon, absolutely hilarious in its truthfulness.

“Tell you something’. Tongue-tied wimmin are ve-ry scarce and ve-ry valuable. If you ever find one, men, hang onto her. All wimmin’s tongues be good for onyway is for spreadiin’ secrets. And secrets are like measles: they take easy and they spread easy.”

Here are a few pictures of East Tennessee / Smokey Mountains to help you visualize the setting for the story if you are interested: