Watching the English, by Kate Fox

Did you hear that joyful yell? I finally finished reading Watching the English: The Hidden Rules of English Behavior after about, oh, two or so months of reading. It's not that it was a dull book or even terribly boring. However, I also can't say that it was exciting, thrilling and/or totally enthralling. I wanted to read it because we've got this upcoming trip to England later this year which I keep mentioning. I wasn't totally sure what to pack (to wear) and I always hate stepping on well-known customs (embarrassing) and I thought that reading this book might help us all navigate our way around the country a little bit better. I was right about that.

Kate Fox is an anthropologist (the study of humanity) and her epic work would be this book, originally published in 2006 and updated and reprinted in 2014. Watching the English is 566 pages of her observations of the English and their behaviors. She wanted to find out and help define what makes the English, English. She observes and make notes of their sense of humor, table manners, holiday customs, shopping habits, bus riding habits, behavior in pubs, dress, food, you-name-it-and-she probably-made-a-note about it! To some readers, this work might come across as dry and boring. Again, I can't exactly say that this book was a real page turner. Gratefully I enjoy the quintessential form of British humor - their dry wit - and thus found many things to snicker over as I read along. She described her findings in a witty manner which is what ultimately kept me reading. However, do remember that despite the humor it took me many months to make my way through the book.

There was only one chapter which I did not read and that was the chapter on sex. Why, you ask? Simply this: exasperation. Being that we are daily bombarded with the sex life of Americans everywhere every time we open up a news feed on our computers, turn on our television sets, or glance at a magazine rack, I'm just feeling done. Does anyone feel the need for privacy anymore? Must we discuss every single sexual detail of our lives? I think no. Perhaps Kate Fox agrees but I really couldn't tell you.

Quite frankly I'm not really sure where to take the review of Watching the English. If you love England and its people, and are curious to learn more about them, then that is a pretty good reason to read this book. If you frequently find yourself paying attention to the behaviors and tics of others (and find them amusing) then you might also like this book. If you favor non-fiction titles which educate you as to society and the world then you are also a good reading candidate. I happen to be all of those things. If you are none of those things then the chances are high and likely you'll wish to spend your time with a different title.

In my reading of this title, I gleaned various bits and pieces of information about the English and what I should expect to find when I spent time among them. I learned about what differentiates the upper classes from the upper middle/middle middle/lower middle and lower classes when it came to clothes and even to what type of marmalade a person will purchase. I learned that I probably shouldn't stress out too much about what to pack and wear in England because they have no solid sense of style or class, a similar complaint of Americans. (However, it is thought that the English should be better dressed as they are, what?, only one hour away from Paris!? Although Americans have no style we're excused to some extent by being younger.) I'll bring one longer-in-length dress with a nice cardigan but no jewelry which is too matchy-matchy and I should blend in ok if we went out to dinner.

I also learned that people usually greet each other by remarking on the weather and that you should agree with them in whatever they say (at least at first). If someone says, "Rainy out there, isn't it?" I should respond, "Yes, isn't it? But it's warm out and it looks as if the sun might shine through." First you must agree and then express your own opinion, should it differ. Otherwise you'll be considered rude and/or obnoxious. Do remember to call napkins napkins and not serviettes. Also, consider the food to be descent in spots but not spectacular. Go with low expectations and don't be surprised when things fall apart or aren't exactly to your liking. Say things like, "Typical!" if the train is late - should you feel the need to say anything at all. Keep calm. Apologize for everything even if it's not at all your fault. Don't talk about money. When in public, don't make eye contact with others; everyone has their own personal bubble which they are striving to live in.

Actually, what I learned about the English is that I'm remarkably like them thanks to my introversion. If I were an extroverted personality I might more easily be considered to be the loud and rowdy type of American-over-seas. After reading this book I started observing myself in social settings and making note of my tendencies. A few weeks ago I was grocery shopping when a fellow patron bumped into me by accident. They didn't apologize but I did! "Whoops, sorry!" I said before continuing on my merry way. Then I chuckled because I realized that was so like the English. I've noticed I do that a lot, as a knee-jerk reaction. In public I'm extremely self-conscious and careful not to offend. It's when on Facebook or the blog when I feel more free to speak my mind. Perhaps the English are all more introverted, or perhaps it's just their way. At any rate, it's my way too. This to say that if I were at all worried about our ability to navigate the country, I'm less so now. Our accent (or lack thereof?) will peg us instantly but hopefully we'll show ourselves friendly and respectful. I might have us rehearse our eating habits with a plate of peas (fork prongs down) but otherwise I think we'll be fine.

On the whole I'm glad to have read Watching the English. It was entertaining and informative. It's not a book I'd slide up on my shelf and read again but I have some friends who I think might very well enjoy it so I'll pass it along to them.

Now. If someone has written a book like this about Americans, I'd like to read it.

Misc.

I kept waiting and waiting (and waiting and waiting) for The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book IV: The Interrupted Tale to be released in paperback so that I could buy it and it would match the rest of my set. Alas, my impatience won out and now I have to repurchase books 1-3 in hardback so that everything will match. I sigh but you understand, don't you? Also, I don't mind because it's such a great series that I anticipate it running through the family over the years. We'll want those hardback copies to hold up to the many hands which will touch it.

Like all of the others in the series, I enjoyed this one equally well. I was happy to find some of the answers to the questions which are raised in the prior books. (Book 4 also has me wondering if Maryrose Wood is getting near to drawing this series to a close. Hmm?) This series is part adventure, part mystery, part drama, and part comedy. It's all fun though and I've enjoyed the time spent with it. (See prior thoughts here and here.) One thing that these books DON'T make me want to do though is write up full reviews on each title. I'm not sure exactly why that is, but that it is. If you decide to pick up this series (and I do recommend it for your consideration) then you won't want to know a whole lot about it before diving in because if you did that would somewhat ruin the mystery.

I'm happy to note that The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book V: The Unmapped Sea will be coming out at the end of April. Now that I don't have to wait for a paperback edition, I'll snatch it right up.

I'll be looking forward to it, for sure!

*****
Remember my review of A Fine Romance, by Susan Branch? (If you don't, hop over and read the review and then pick up the book. It's so fun!)

I mentioned then that I had meant to post a picture of my book in keeping with the personal journal them - complete with my mug of tea! -  but that I hadn't yet downloaded it off the camera yet. It's not like it's all that exciting or anything, but here it is:

*****
After reading (and feeling inspired by) The Nesting Place (linked to review/thoughts) I wanted to add a little spring-like something to our sitting area which is off the kitchen. I didn't want to spend a lot of money, but I did purchase some new candle stick holders that were bright and cheery. (I don't do so well when the weather is forever gray and overcast like it is much of the winter in Oregon so I've been looking for lighter/brighter decor to help out.) you can see in the far left hand side of the page my little corner on the counter with lit candles, and a bright red tea pot. It makes me happy to look at.

Bookworm4's bear is also nestled on the glider because Smith encourages using children's toys in decorating and making the place feel more like home for everyone. (Tree branch supplied by a dying tree we were going to cut down in our yard anyway. And twinkle lights are not just for Christmas!)

*****
For the record, I'm hating reading The Canterbury Tales. Just so you know. I've been "cheating" by watching this video on Youtube which carries with it all the flair of the story without making me wallow through it miserably. (It's almost miserable enough just watching it.)

*****
But we don't want to end on a sour note, do we? So let's not. I thought this was funny:

Enjoy your Wednesday, folks!

Children's Tea & Etiquette

Yup, I'm one of those moms. By which I mean that I'm totally of the opinion that children can learn how to behave properly and delightfully in "adult settings." They can learn to be quiet, sit (moderately) still, hold breakable items without actually breaking them, and contribute to society in general. Can they always do this perfectly? No. They are just children who are about the business of learning to be adults. But this does not mean that they are unteachable and/or should not be welcomed in our midst.

My children, like many others (boys included), love a good tea party. They, too, enjoy the fancy table settings and fun foods. They like sampling the teas and dressing up in their fancy clothes. It's great fun! As many of you are aware, I like throwing tea parties in my home. I don't always throw teas which involve the kids. Sometimes the tea is a strictly grown-up affair and I think those are fun too. However, there is something very special in having one's children participate in life's little celebrations and a tea party is one such celebration of beauty and joy and friendship that I'd like for them not to miss out on. I really dislike excluding my kids, in part because I know that they are disappointed when they aren't included. I couldn't really include them in the fun as regularly as I do though if we didn't practice our manners "off set" so to speak. Children who are well-behaved in public are ones that have been trained in private. They aren't well-behaved naturally. They are well behaved because a lot of work went in to the training.

Please know that I don't think I have perfect children, but I do know that my kids and I have the same desire in our hearts: to do life together. That means that we do spend a fair amount of attention on eating politely and paying attention to the way our body moves so as not to break things, or disrupt times of fellowship. Every so often we'll find a decent book to read which allows us to address particular aspects of behavior in (and out of) good company. Children's Tea and Etiquette: Brewing Good Manners in Young Minds is one such book. Admittedly the cover art makes it look droll and boring but let's say that it's the inside that counts in this case.

Children's Tea and Etiquette attempts to teach children how to properly behave at a tea/special event through a story. Harry and Katy are invited to attend a tea party with their grandparents and, as they are preparing to attend, they practice their behaviors by learning a bit about:

• How to shake hands with others (and the proper way to do so).
• How to smile and make eye-contact.
• How to sit in a chair.
• How to drink a cup of tea.
• How to eat a scone.
• How to leave the table when you are done.
• Polite words and language to use.

This book also talks a little bit about the history of tea which is great for older kids but not of much interest for the younger kids.

I can hear you now, "How can anything in this book be of any interest to any kid?" This is a popular question in today's society. There is a general consensus that a.) children are not interested in sitting still and "going through motions of politeness" and b.) that children are incapable of doing so. I disagree. Children very much enjoy being involved in unique, "fancy" and creative things. A tea is rather filled with imagination if you think about it. You dress up. You create interesting foods that you don't normally eat. You create beautiful table settings and light candles. If you make it sound like a special treat, it instantly becomes one. Furthermore, children are perfectly capable of learning how to address their elders and peers politely and to be still and quiet so as to allow all types of fellowship to take place.

(Again, please don't think my children do this perfectly. They don't! But we work on this regularly and I would now contently take my children to a tea shop and can expect decent behavior from them. Perfection? No. But good behavior, yes.)

As I say, I'm a big fan of teaching kids at home and trusting them with even breakable items so that they can learn to be careful with things in their possession and control. I do allow my kids to use real tea cups when we have tea together and with others. I'm not worried if one of my cups is broken. It is easily replaceable. Replacing memories is much more difficult. In order to feel at ease in handing my children, and my children's friends, real tea cups to use, I shop Goodwill and other thrift stores. I've created a small collection of cheap-to-me cups which are beautiful but not personally meaningful. If one breaks, it breaks. A child can come to our home and feel free to use a cup and be a part of an adult event. That's more important to me that a rose covered cup remaining perfect (and unused) on a shelf. I don't want to worry about the "stuff"; I don't want them to worry; I don't want their parents to worry. Thrift shop if it'll make you feel better about creating fancy events for you and your children to enjoy!

Another thing about Children's Tea and Etiquette is that it concludes with the concept of writing a thank you note. I can't tell you that my kids enjoy writing thank you notes (or that I've ever thought to write one after being invited to an event) but the words "thank you" never offend! Teaching children to say thank you is a good habit to get into. Explaining why one ought to say thank you is an even better lesson. This book provides good food for thought in that direction.

I know this post sounds really matter of fact regarding the expected behaviors of children. I do tend to sound rather emphatic when talking about what they can be expected to do and how they can be expected to behave. But I do get so tired of hearing the message that children aren't wanted around adults that I feel rather passionate about making them a part of the action. I care about my children being involved in my life and being welcomed into the lives of others and so I perhaps come across rather strong. There is no wish to offend, but simply a desire to share the idea that children are a blessing in our lives right this very minute. They are not a future blessing, 15 years from now. I am all about sharing this book with others if it in any way helps others to see that children are a beautiful addition to both our lives and to society at large. Helping children learn how to appropriately contribute is a worthy goal in my estimation and I thank anyone who will purpose to train and teach so that we might all enjoy.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain

Some of you might remember that I was given the book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking to read as part of the personal Facebook Challenge I put up, allowing six people to choose six books for me to read during this calendar year. Quiet was given to me by Amber M. I was excited to read this one after reading several positive reviews of it over the past year or so. Most memorable to me was Barabara's review and I was delighted (and grateful) to be "assigned" a book that I had on my personal wishlist. (Thank you, Amber!) Let's just ignore the fact that it took me until November to read it, shall we?

Quiet : The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking was and is intriguing for me to read because I am an introvert. I don't know that I would have labeled myself as that when I was younger but I came to a very definite realization that I have introvert tendencies as I proceeded into adulthood. While I may seem wordy online, I'm actually really, really quiet in person unless or until I get to know a person quite well. I have to be very comfortable with the people and the surroundings to want to talk much outloud. I am always alert and am paying attention to the conversation and activities around me, but I might not necessarily say anything about them at the time.

More recently I've found that people I know generally at church and in town are surprised to hear that I'm an introvert because my husband and I host so many gatherings in our home. It's true that I love practicing hospitality. It is also true that I am very calculating in the way that I go about doing so. For example, I prefer large crowds to small ones because I find that I am not required to do as much talking and entertaining if there are more people present. I would rather host one hundred people in my home all at once than five, unless I know those five really well. Also, after having any type of event (large or small) in my home, I usually spend the entire day afterwards resting quietly in my pajamas. I need to feel comfortable and be still after spending time with others. It is only in this way that I find myself able to recharge. I have also learned to pace myself when we have family gatherings. I have learned that I have to plan "time out" for myself during the gathering. This is not because I don't like my family but because I start to break down if I don't have a little time away and alone to be quiet.  I begin to feel tense and stressed and even physically ill if I'm around people for consecutive days on end without a little time alone to regroup and breathe a bit on my own. Overnight guests are an absolute joy to me, but I quit apologizing for not coming out of my bedroom until 9 a.m. or so because I need that morning quiet time to rev up for the rest of the day's activities or else I will collapse before the visit is over and that's no good.

Quiet is an interesting book because the main purpose of it is to convince extroverts that introverts are just as valuable as they are. There is no "better" or "worse" way to be, but both types of people bring something to the table that is worth considering. I don't really need a book to tell me that  my introvert tendencies are valuable. I feel very confident and secure in my quiet, regardless of whether or not it makes much sense to others. I have a lot of extrovert friends and I enjoy them a great deal - (I usually find them highly entertaining) - but I don't wish to be like them nor do I demand that they be like me. I found this book interesting because it enlightened me to the fact that extroverts do need to see the value of the introvert and I found Cain's arguments as to the benefits of including introverts into society in a manner that suits them to be most intriguing.

A question and answer section is included in the back of the book and one of the questions posed to Cain is why she felt the need to write this book in the first place. She makes the following statement:

"Because there's a bias against introverts. Our schools, workplaces, and religious institutions are designed for extroverts, and many introverts believe that there is something wrong with them and that they should try to "pass" as extroverts. This bias leads to a colossal waste of talent, energy, and ultimately, happiness."

Throughout the entire book, Cain makes the argument that American culture, in particular, demands that each of this country's citizens be loud, outgoing, exciting extroverts. We are all made to feel as if we need to exude confidence with big, flashy smiles and be seen as determined and bold. We're supposed to be all about team sports and collaborate in hoards. She points out that workplaces now pack their office employees together in shared cubicles or open layouts, removing private spaces necessary for an introvert to recharge and problem shoot alone. Schools, she says, have grouped desks together so that students have to face each other straight on instead of work through math problems and creative writing assignments on their own, as individuals. She argues that American society has failed to see the value of creating quiet getaways for the introverts to do what they do best - which is to make thoughtful, calculated decisions in quiet places - alone.

Interestingly, she points out some examples of introverts and extroverts in the workplace and how the introverts' quiet, well-laid plans and ideas are frequently ignored because they are more modest and calm in the presentation of their ideas. She notes that in an office situation where introverts and extroverts are collaborating, the extrovert usually convinces the group to go with their plan and generally succeeds in convincing others simply because they are louder. The introvert sitting on the sideline is frequently ignored because they didn't stand up and do a dance, so to speak, to get people to hear what it is that they are suggesting the group/company do. Cain writes to encourage the extrovert to seek out the quiet introvert's opinion when collaborating and she also writes to encourage the introvert to work on being a little bolder in group environments so that they will be heard.

As only a little bit of an aside, Cain also notes that the introvert usually has the better plan because an introvert is more inclined to listen longer, ask questions, think more deeply and calculate risks more than an extrovert would. What is her point in mentioning this? The introvert generally has something to say that's worth hearing. Don't dismiss the quiet sorts just because they are quiet. Their ideas tend to be pretty good.

Truthfully I feel a little silly talking about this book because I feel like it's a bit of self-promotion in certain respects. I am the person she describes in this book. I identified with much of what she said regarding the need for quiet getaways to foster creativity and provide rest. I totally understand what she is saying when she argues that to deny an introvert quiet privacy is to risk their health and happiness because if I am on the go for too many hours a day or too many days in a row I begin to physically and emotionally wear out. I have to pace myself or I will literally begin to get sick - sometimes becoming overheated or I'll begin to suffer a sore throat. (I think that aspect is a little weird, actually, but it's truly what happens.) The only way I can recover and avoid becoming really sick is to be at home without anyone outside of our family coming around so that I can just be without feeling like I have to rise to some occasion and make conversation. Perhaps that seems unbelievable but it's true.

I did enjoy reading Quiet, mostly because it helps to remind me to pace myself well. And just so you know - I'm writing up my thoughts on this book after returning from a 7-day vacation to see family in which we were constantly on the go. I loved being with my loved ones and cherished every moment I had with them. But at the current moment, I am recharging in a quiet house. My kids are napping, I'm sipping tea, nursing a sore throat, and typing this up while enjoying flannel. I have no desire to leave my house for several days more. Weird? Perhaps. But so true.

Who should read this book:

1. Introverts who are curious to hear more of the arguments for why it is that it's ok for them to be introverts. (That's if you don't already understand the reasons, of course.)
2. Extroverts with introvert friends and family that they could better understand if they heard some of this information.
3. Teachers who might learn how to appreciate and make room for the introverted student.
4. Extrovert parents with introvert children who are in any way worried that their child is not equipped to survive in society in its current form.

If you would like to get a taste for this book, you might wish to check out Susan Cain's TED talk which has been viewed almost 10 million times.

How the Heather Looks, by Joan Bodger

A friend (QOC) recommended How the Heather Looks: A Joyous Journey to the British Sources of Children's Books to me once she heard that our family is planning a trip to England next year. I mentioned that I was having a hard time deciding where to go when we're over there. She told me to stop trying to plan until I read this book and so I obeyed her and promptly ordered it off Amazon.

According to notes from author Joan Bodger at the end of this book, it was first published in 1965 but went out of print fairly quickly. She heard stories of children's book librarians stealing their library copy at the time of their retirement. Friends would borrow this title from friends and conveniently fail (or outright refuse to) return it because it was so well loved. To war against the raging tide of sin, the book was republished in 1999, removing any need any person might have to steal this book out from under the noses of other readers. There are plenty of copies to go around now.

With a few high recommendations and a book that spoke so highly of itself, I dove on in. Please remember that the purpose of my reading was to help me make some decisions about where we should go when visiting this glorious country, so rich in literature. Did the book help me with my mission? No. Not really. In part, it failed because it didn't offer as much specific information as I was hoping for (i.e., "Go here; see this."). Then, Bodger meanders around England. Chapters aren't clearly divided into discussions of particular authors and locations as I expected they would be, based on chapter titles. Arthur Ransome mixes with Beatrix Potter, and Robin Hood gets mixed in with Robert Louis Stevenson, etc. But then that's really hardly surprising considering the size of the country and its beautiful landscape. Perhaps because I was not expecting the mishmashed approach, I found the book moderately un-useful in selecting locations to visit. However, from the perspective of offering inspiration to live in England for the rest of my natural born days, well, this book was incredibly helpful.

How the Heather Looks documents the Bodger family trip to England where traveled as a family (mom, dad, two kids) specifically to explore the world of children's literature. They wanted to see where Caldecott got his inspiration and boat down the same river as Ratty and Mole. They wanted to play Pooh Sticks off of Pooh's bridge and find the Enchanted Forest for themselves. These are all lofty and reasonable goals, of course! It sounds delightfully fun. They share of their challenges and successes in locating places that were familiar to them through books and described a world (back in 1950's) that I'm pretty sure no longer exists. Some of the things that they were able to do modern readers and travelers can no longer do. For example, Bodger interviewed Aurthur Ransome (no longer living) and visited Mrs. Milne in the Milne home (also very much no longer possible). It's very cool to read of their travels but it also served to make me insanely jealous.

Still, to suit my purposes in reading this fine book, I did gather up some titles of other books to read at Bodger's suggestion. My Amazon list grew exponentially thanks to her. Pooh Bear hadn't yet landed on my map of Places to See until I read this book and then he was added post haste. (How could we skip meeting him in his world?!) Now we can look forward to playing our own game of Pooh Sticks. I'm excited about that.

As mentioned, at the conclusion of the book there is an updated note from the author. In this note she shared that a year after the Bodger family went on this incredible literary adventure, she and her husband divorced. Their little family seems to have fallen apart in bits and pieces post-travels, something I find incredibly sad. Whether they went on this trip as a family to try to preserve family, I have no idea. (That would classify as mere speculation.) Please let me assure my readership here that Jonathan and I are not planning to go to England in an effort to hold our family together but simply to create beautiful, lasting memories with our family. We go for the adventure of it all! So I think we're already ahead of the Bodgers although I thank them for helping us "set the stage" to go forth and have fun.

Dancing on the Head of a Pen, by Robert Benson

I have never heard of Robert Benson before but apparently he has written a number of books. He has written and published so many that many people have asked him for advice on how to write for themselves. This book is an answer to their questions.

Dancing on the Head of a Pen is a very quick and easy book to read. It comes off as more of a motivational speech than anything else and motivational speeches always do tend to go down well. In other words, there are no "ouch!" revelations inside, unless you come to the realization that you are an incredibly undisciplined person (which I am going to bank on you already knowing if you know you want to write but haven't written anything yet). The short answer to the question of how to start writing is simply to do it.

Practically speaking, Benson has filled this book with suggestions based on how he writes, acknowledging that what works for him might not necessarily work for another. He referenced a variety of authors he knows, all of whom have different methods for putting pen to paper. Because all people are different I think it was wise for Benson to write this book with the idea of motivating others in mind, rather than attempting to offer a step-by-step guide to write for publication. If you read this book, you might find yourself motivated to ditch the excuses and get to work. First though, I suppose one must remove the doubts that they have that they can't write anything decent. It's hard to write anything when you assume you have nothing brilliant to offer. I chuckled over this passage:

"A day spent reading Anne Dillard or Graham Greene or John Le Carre or Thomas Merton or Doris Grumbach or Frederick Buechner can convince anyone who wants to write that the good stuff has already been written and, in fact, so marvelously written that anything else by anyone else, including me, borders on being audacious at best and pretentious the rest of the time. Last week while reading Buechner, I realized tat if I wanted to make a contribution to the literary world, I should do his laundry and mow his grass so he would have more time to write." (Chapter 3, Go to Your Room, page 35)

I have a lot of lawns to mow and laundry to do for others!

There are practical tips included in this book but, as I say, Benson is quick to note that these are things that work for him and might not necessarily work for the next person. However, there is one universal truth which stood out to me (because, of course, it would). That is?:

"Any writer should have a shelf of . . . books. He need not read the writers I read. But he should never forget that we are all going to write under the influence of someone. Better for him if those writers are better than most. At the very least they should be the ones who make him want to lie down and take deep breaths before taking up his pen. Those are the books that will make him live, and write, more intensely. Reading anything less will not help him grow as a writer.

A direct relationship exists between the caliber of the writing you read and the caliber of the writing you make."

(Chapter 8, Under the Influence, pp 102-103, emphasis mine)

I agree with him whole heartedly! The people who I read definitely influence the life that I live and, frequently, the way I write. You can tell who I read - I think - if you read a few of my blog posts. Sometimes I think other authors are screaming through me in my speech and writing patterns. So, friends, let us read well so that we may be influenced by the wisest and the best!

I do envision myself writing a book someday. As my first title has flitted away, I'll have to do some additional thinking and pondering. I know that writing is an important way for me to be able to express myself and that I feel calmer and more thought through once I write something down, whether it be for public consumption or personal release. Words matter deeply to me and the order they are placed in can change a world (or, at least, a life). It's interesting for me to pick up books every now and again which talk about how one can write more effectively. For me, writing is a "future thing" but reading Dancing on the Head of a Pen did encourage me to start practicing now.

I pulled out a notebook and got started.

Many thanks to Waterbrook Press for sending a copy of this book my direction in order to facilitate this review. I did not receive any additional compensation for this review and all opinions are - forever and always - 100% my very own!

84, Charing Cross Road, by Helene Hanff

Several years ago a friend from church told me about this marvelous little book - 84, Charing Cross Road. I put it on my wish list with an intent to read it.

Last month at my local book club, another friend mentioned this title and I verbalized the fact that I had long wanted to read it but hadn't gotten around to it yet. The next time I saw my friend she appeared with a gift in hand! It's always special to be given a book that you've wanted to read for a long time - especially by someone who loves to read as much as you do. Not wanting to waste any more time in ignorance of it, I devoured it the next day.

84, Charing Cross Road is an extremely short book written entirely in letters. That's right - the entire book is a series of letters and packages which traveled between Helene Hanff of New York and an English bookshop - Marks & Co. - located on Charing Cross Road. Hanff was something of a snobby reader by some estimation and she had a hard time finding books that suited her in America. She was looking for older copies and nicer editions of glorious, beautifully written books! She heard about Marks & Co. and wrote to them to see if they might help her track down particular titles.

The letters travel the ocean from 1949 through 1969, during which time so much history was made. It is interesting reading the letters, not just for the love of good books, but also because the world was recovering from war and progressing in any variety of manners. The letters are enlightening, as specifically relates to the state of society post-World War II. Helene was a playwright in New York City and so you also get a feel for the "starving artist" in the big city.

A few of my favorite excerpts from their letters:

Helene wrote a letter to Cecily, one of the bookshop employees:

"A newspaper man I know, who was stationed in London during the war, says tourists go to England with preconceived notions, so they always find exactly what they go looking for. I told him I'd go looking for the England of English literature, and he said: "Then it's there." 

I love that! Especially since we're planning a family trip to England in the next year or so and I will be going in search of the England of English literature. I hope I find it!

Helene writes to Frank Doel, perhaps her chief correspondence at the bookshop:

"Have you got De Tocqueville's Journey to America? Somebody borrowed mine and never gave it back. Why is it that people who wouldn't dream of stealing anything else think it's perfectly all right to steal books?"

Right!?!?

This book has been made into a movie but I decided not to watch it after watching the trailer. Anne Hathaway and Anthony Hopkins starred in the film and they are very fine actors capable of bringing this book to life in a very happy and fun way. However, my reason for wanting to skip it is that the movie turns the story into a romance between Hanff and Doel. If you read the book you will quickly discover that there is no romance between them other than a shared love of reading. Doel is actually happily married to someone else and therefore I have objections to the change between the book and the screen version. I'll skip that but I'm glad not to have skipped the book! Pick it up if you get the chance. I think you'll like it. It is quite delightful and I am indebted to my friend for the read. (Thank you!)

Books About the Titanic

The Titanic has captured the imagination of Bookworm2 (age 5) of late. I'm not sure why, exactly. He likes hearing about the disaster and also about finding the treasure which is this famed ocean liner and its contents at the bottom of the ocean. It's almost like the treasure hunter has been awakened within him. The other day he asked me the following question:

Mommy, we only have three books about the Titanic. Can you get some more?

That's pretty much an "ask and you shall receive" type of question. My quest to find books about the Titanic that are age appropriate is in full swing!

I asked my friend Joy to review the following title which is newly release from Scholastic and she happily obliged. Her thoughts:

*****

The Titanic seems to be an endlessly fascinating topic. Countless books have been written on what was one of the greatest tragedies of the modern era. Movies, fictional and narrative (is this the word I want?), have been made resurrecting the “Unsinkable Ship.” Is there anything that can be added to the existing cannon? Titanic: Voices From the Disaster, written by Deborah Hopkinson, gives an interesting perspective by recounting the days and events surrounding the disaster from the points of view of individuals who lived through them. The voices range from aristocrats on a pleasure cruise, to poor immigrants hoping for a better life in the new world, to crew members who had been with the White Star Line for years. The book is also full of pictures, an essential element to this sort of book, including the only photos taken by a passenger on the ship that have survived. (Most interior pictures shown of the ship are actually photos of its sister ship, the Olympic.)

Titanic: Voices From the Disaster is written for late elementary to middle school readers, though it is an interesting read for adult readers as well. It would be a good resource for home-school teaching, and its bibliography is extensive and useful for further research on the subject. This book is arranged chronologically and clearly outlines what led up to the disaster and how it could have been avoided. One of the hard things about reading this book is how frequently preventable mistakes are revealed, any of which would have greatly reduced if not entirely averted the tragedy, i.e., if the ship had rammed the iceberg head on instead of scrapping along the side of it, or if the communications operator of a neighboring ship would not have turned off his equipment and gone to sleep, or, greatest of all, if the ship had been provided with enough lifeboats for all on board! However, to some extent, the tragedy is shown to have caused a great many improvements in the policies of cruise lines, disaster response, and shipping in general. It exposed how the regulations concerning safety measures on passenger ships were greatly out of date and is directly responsible for all ships now providing emergency equipment for every person on board. There were many times, though, when I had to put the book aside because the enormity of the useless loss of life was overwhelming. In particular, hearing from people who actually survived and endured the grief of losing their loved ones almost before their eyes, of families having to decide whether to send a few members to safety or all die together, made the stories, heard many times before (and almost glorified sometimes), become much more real and personal.

Many thanks to Scholastic who sent a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. We have received no additional compensation for this thoughts and all of the opinions expressed are our own.

*****

As Joy says, the above book is great for middle school or high schoolers but not as helpful to younger kids. (This has not prevented my little bookworm from looking through the book for picture sake though!)

Bookworm2 has very much enjoyed the Scholastic Level 3 reader, Titanic: Disaster at Sea, by Sean Callery. We've read this book aloud to him numerous times and it has yet to grow old.

This book is laid out in the typical manner for Scholastic's easy readers. Per usual, there are a lot of full-color illustrations and also photographs from the ship itself. The text is in large font and there are only 3-4 paragraphs of information per page making it an easy read but also an informative one. I found this title to be much more age appropriate and, as I say, he has enjoyed it.

He has also enjoyed looking through our copy of T is for Titanic (Sleeping Bear Press).

Now I'm on the lookout for additional titles. Might you have any to suggest?

*****
Other books about the Titanic for adult readers:

• Titanic's Last Secrets, by Brad Matsen (Highly recommended!)
• Voyagers of the Titanic, by Richard Davenport-Hines

The A - Z of C.S. Lewis

I accepted The A-Z of C S Lewis for review because a.) I like C.S. Lewis' Narnia series and z.) I like C.S. Lewis's Narnia series. I've slowly worked my way through some of his non-fiction works (The Four Loves, The Weight of Glory, Surprised by Joy, the Space Triology. Abolition of Man, The Screwtape Letters) and a biography which I very much enjoyed. I like what I know of Lewis (although I've discovered disagreements which I mostly try to ignore) and enjoy learning more about him.

The problem with this title (for me) is that I really don't like encyclopedias. Once upon a time I read through one volume of the actual encyclopedia (the letter "T" because it had tornadoes in it) because I thought it would be cool. I don't remember anything that I read except the part about tornadoes which is what I was most interested in learning about at that time. (I was 12, if you were wondering.) I'm the sort of person who isn't satisfied with snippets of info if I'm really curious about something. If I really want to learn more about a topic, then I want to read whole books and, usually, lots of them, to steep myself into the information a bit.

The A-Z of C S Lewis: A Complete Guide to His Life, Thoughts and Writings contains bits and snippets about everything Lewis.

It starts with this: "Abhalljin See: Aphallin"

Then it goes to this: "Abingdon: A small town not far from Oxford at whose nearby RAF base C.S. Lewis gave his very first talk on Christianity to wartime personnel of Bomber Command. He considered the experience an abject failure. . . ."

And so on and so forth until you get to the Z and Zardeenah. In case you don't know, Zardeenah is a Calormene moon goddess in The Horse and His Boy, known as the Lady of the Night, to whose service all maidens are pledged until they marry." Now you know.

Each entry is about 3-6 sentences long and, as you can see from the examples given, do cover Lewis' life, thought and writings. (The subtitle of this book is honest and incredibly accurate.)

Some people love encyclopedia type books. I know that must be true because such books exist. However, unfortunately, I am not one of them. Such a book is not bad or unwelcome . . .  it's just that I find the reading of them mildly chaotic and frequently random. It doesn't flow for me and I don't like to bother taking the time to look up snippets of information. (With the exception, of course, of Google which is used for quick reference on things I usually don't care to know much about . . . such as how to get the smoke smell out of wood, etc. )

Really, I'd rather read all of C.S. Lewis' works and every biography written about him than this one encyclopedia. Yes, that would take more time than I have and so, yes, I can see the value that such books have. I just don't appreciate them personally.

But! Many do. To give one example, Elizabeth over at 5 Minutes for Books simply LOVED this book and will likely cherish it for years to come. That does make me glad. I don't dislike people who like encyclopedia-type books. They are very nice people.

I did want to write up my thoughts on this one because, well, I agreed to and also because I know that there are other really nice people out there who are likely to find this title useful. More power to you folks and all that.

For additional reviews and thoughts, please see the Litfuse Blog page for Colin Duriez's book. (There is a little button on a menu there marked "Reviews" which enables you to check out what other people thought of this title.)

Truly, I do offer many thanks to Litfuse Publicity who allowed me to be a part of this blog tour. I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate a review of said book. I received no additional compensation and all opinions are clearly 100% my own.

Tea with Jane Austen

I have a new passion and that is tea.

My passion used to be Dr. Pepper, but then I married Jonathan and he didn't like coke (I say, "coke" 'cause I'm from the southwest, see?) and so I gave that up for love. I tried to like coffee but it just never happened all the way and why push things? Jonathan didn't like that either anyway. Coke Zero has been a nice substitute (after 7 years of marriage with no DP there had to be an outlet somewhere!) and tea floated in and out. I knew I was supposed to like tea because I liked books. The two go hand and in hand. Alas. I felt like a failure in the beverage department.

Then something happened. 

My friend took me to a tea house and I became instantly obsessed with the different varieties and flavors which can be made and drunk all throughout the day for my glory and benefit. (This, my friends, was all of four months ago.) Now every day you'll find me concocting new flavors as I mix and match my bags (not brave enough for loose leaves just yet) to make things like: cinnamon chocolate, chocolate rose, peppermint chocolate. (I go a little heavy on the chocolate, you see, but you would too if you tried it. And you should try it.)

So, as I say, my friend took me to this tea house little knowing that she was going to create a TEA MONSTER. But that's exactly what she did.

Since that time I have thrown two tea parties (with said friend): a Christmas one and the Anne of Green Gables one. Next on our list is a Downton Abbey tea (even though I quit watching Downton this season because I was tired of having my heart ripped out of my chest and mercilessly stomped on). (Before anyone gets upset - or not - I read every spoiler that I could find online for Season 4 so I feel up to speed and once I've calmed down from episode one I may, eventually, go on and watch some more. But as long as my emotions are in play, I will not. Besides, the Olympics are on and they are more interesting.)

But to get back to the point - I'm really into tea and have at least half a dozen themes for parties at the ready. On my list is a Jane Austen tea and so onto my Amazon wishlist went Tea with Jane Austen, by Kim Wilson. And then it arrived one day thanks to a surprise from my husband who much prefers that I drink tea and not Dr. Pepper. Or coffee. Or Coke Zero. (Ladies and gentleman, we have found our compromise!)

Here's another confession: I've never really connected with Austen. I think that's due in part to the fact that all women everywhere seem to and so I felt pressured to like her when I wasn't yet ready to. (What can you glean from my personality with that last statement?) Then, a year or so ago I re-read Emma and enjoyed it. As our family is in the planning stages for a trip to England, I've been thinking that I should read and re-read some Austen to prepare myself when Jonathan handed me Tea with Jane Austen. I read devoured this title and have begun to appreciate and love Austen because I found something in her to like and not just because I was told by society that I should (because I'm a female and Colin Firth is Mr. Darcy or something like that). You might say that Jane and I are bonding over a cup of tea.

Tea with Jane Austen takes a look at Jane's relationship with this popular beverage. She explores a little of the history of tea, explaining why it featured so heavily in Jane's works. For instance, when tea was first presented to the public it was very expensive and only the wealthy could afford to drink it. The Austen family went to great pains to purchase their tea which they kept locked up, away from the servants. Jane herself was the one who made the family's tea and approached it very thoughtfully.

Author Kim Wilson explores the social aspect of tea, how it grew in popularity, the opposition it met with and, of course, the way it was come to be taken. This is a very fascinating read not just as it relates to Jane Austen but how we, the modern reader, can relate to tea as well. There is something very relaxing about taking a cup of hot tea. For one thing, it's usually served hot so that you can't gulp it in one fell swoop. You take small sips, usually while reading a book or conversing with another. A hot pot of tea makes the world slow down somehow. Like magic. It sets one at ease in a way I've only recently begun to understand. A pretty cup in the hand delights the spirit as well as the eyes and there is encouragement in taking a moment to stop and just be.

Tea has long been linked to books, of course, and I can see now how fitting that is. You want to sit and savor the words as well as the flavor on your tongue. In a world of books and tea there is no hurry and no rush and that is the very opposite of what we're used to experiencing in our lives. It is good to be busy and to be productive but it is also important to stop and rest and fellowship. I think there is something in the practice and habit of taking tea that ministers to the soul. It gives one pause. And it's pretty. Also, it is yummy. There is nothing to complain about here.

If you love tea or Jane Austen (or probably both) then I think you'll find Tea with Jane Austen a quick and entertaining read. I loved it.

For the curious, I read the book in two sittings. The first half of the book was accompanied by a couple of cups of pumpkin spice chocolate tea. The second reading was spent with peppermint chocolate.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot

I can't say that I had intended to read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks during the month of December. Back in 2011 Susanne reviewed this book (scroll down to #32) giving it 10 out of 10 stars according to her rating system. I noted it as sounding incredibly interesting and decided that if I ever ran across a copy when browsing bookstores or something I'd pick it up.

One of our neighbors has one of those free "libraries" at the end of their driveway where people are invited to take a book and/or leave a book. On a post-Thanksgiving walk we passed by this neighbor's lending library and, lo and behold, there sat a copy of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. I didn't hesitate to snatch it up! Sometimes the wait in reading a book proves worth it and such was the case with this title. I will echo Susanne in saying, "Wow!" Only I'll put it in bold: WOW!

This book tells the story of Henrietta Lacks who died of cervical cancer back in 1951. During the period of her treatment and hospitalization at John Hopkins Hospital, doctors took samples from her cervix and sent them to the hospital's lab. There, Dr. George Gey attempted to grow her cells using the samples provided. Up to this point in history, cells had not been able to be reproduced in a lab setting; the cells always died. In the case of Henrietta's cancerous cells, they not only grew but they did so at a prolific rate. In fact, her cells are still reproducing to this day and are known and referred to as "HeLa cells". Her cells have been used in scientific research for these many decades, being used to help identify diseases, were involved with the atomic bomb, and have even been sent into space. While other human strains of cells have been developed since 1951, none have thrived in the same manner that the HeLa cells have, making Henrietta immortal in some sense of the word.

What makes the story of Henrietta's cells noteworthy? A few things. First and foremost, samples of her cervix were removed and sent to the lab without her permission. While I would say that it is remarkably unclear that Henrietta would have had any objections to this being done, she was not informed and her consent was not obtained. By today's standards, this is a deplorable situation. By 1950 standards, it was par for the course. Her children, however, were raised in our more modern society where permission must be obtained to take samples of any sort from a person's body and/or used in any form or fashion. Up until the 1970's her children (and husband!) were not even made aware of the fact that their mother's cells were growing and being used in science experiments. When they were made aware they were less than pleased. Her childrens' purpose these days is not to make money off of the HeLa cells (although I and others would argue it would be their due according to present day practices) but to let the world know who Henrietta Lacks was so that she can receive due honor and recognition for her contribution to science.

The other interesting angle on this story is that while the rest of the world has been curious as to the origins of the HeLa cells, so have her children been. Henrietta died when her children were very young (her youngest being but a few months old) and so they really never knew their mother. Her daughter Deborah is featured heavily in this book as having provided much information to author/reporter Rebecca Skloot. Deborah spent most of her life wondering what it was her mother had ultimately died of as no one had ever told her; it was not talked about. Henrietta kept the diagnosis of cancer a secret and the family was left in a state of curious chaos as a result of her silence on this matter of her health. There is a prevalent opinion in the family that John Hopkins Hospital killed their mother by experimenting on her body (i.e., over radiating her, causing her abdomen to be burned black). Unfortunately there is reason for them to speculate that Hopkins mistreated and harmed their mother as back in the 1880's and first half of the 1900's surgeons and scientist routinely "stole" black people and experimented on their bodies, deeming them to be of lesser worth to society. These activities are deplorable and it is very hard for those of us with modern sensitivities to even imagine that such things occurred! Yet they did, and the issues of race and segregation also make this book a thought provoking read as well as a sickening one as it is a very painful thing to consider how white surgeons treated their black patients (that is, if they agreed to treat them at all!).

I think Skloot presents the facts of Henrietta, her cells and her family in a straight forward manner which "simply" educates the reader without attempting to persuade them of something. Never at any moment did I feel that Skloot was trying to train my thoughts in any particular direction. The book reads very much as an informative explanation as to the history of HeLa cells and the person they originated from. It is an emotional read by its very nature but the emotions are not provided for you. You simply cannot help but feel something as you read along. This is the mark of a good work of non-fiction in my humble estimation. I much prefer it when non-fiction writers present the facts (tastefully) and allow me to make up my own mind on the issues. Skloot kindly allowed me the freedom to discern and I appreciate that.

Now, I wouldn't peg The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks as your typical Christmas read but when some books land on your lap you make the time to read them and I'm glad to have made the time for this title. One of my friends (who is a science-y major at our local university) saw the book sitting on my couch when she came over this past weekend. She pounced on it excitedly telling me that she had just recently done some experiments in the lab using HeLa cells and had recently become aware of Henrietta Lacks and her story. I'll be passing this book along to her to read next. Her background should make this read even more fascinating than it already is!

I feel kind of funny saying that I would recommend this book to other readers. Non-fiction reads either strike a chord with individuals or they do not. You'll have to make up your own mind about this book. In my case, I'm very glad for Susanne's recommendation which caused me to learn more about Henrietta Lacks. I'll not soon forget her name or contribution to science and society. Nor should I.

Beautiful Lego, by Mike Doyle

Beautiful LEGO is a veritable feast for Lego-lovin' eyes!

Our entire family enjoyed browsing and staring at the amazing images within this book. This is not your typical how-to LEGO guide book. Rather, it is a collection of photographs of the amazing things that other (brilliant) people have created with their LEGOs.

The book is divided up into sections, showing off various animals, movie characters, vehicles, cube men, aliens, and astounding-looking landscapes. Truly, the cover art on this book speaks entirely for itself. Do you want to look at jaw dropping LEGO pieces of art? Look no further!

The author and editor of this book, Mike Doyle, is a LEGO art creator himself. Amid these designs by 77 different artists, you'll find some of Doyle's creations as well. His pièce de résistance, if you will, includes an incredibly detailed delapadated Victorian House (set "in mud" though...I don't get that). Still, whether or not I understand what the artist wanted to get at, it's still amazing to look at the pictures and try to figure out how they created the sculptures that they did. If you like LEGOs at all, you'll be interested in this book! We've already devoted hours of our time browsing it. (I'm not exaggerating on the time. We took it with us on our recent road trip. We literally have spent hours with this book!)

Need some additional proof of the wonder which is contained in Beautiful LEGO?! Here are a few of the images that you will see inside:

As I say, it's a feast for the eyes. And while none of us are likely to have all the LEGOs needed or necessary to make the incredible landscapes, kids can definitely be inspired to use the bricks that they own to make their own beautiful LEGO designs. And that's why I love this book as much as I do - it inspires. (And humbles. I should mention that it also humbles.)

For LEGO enthusiasts, this book is a must see!

** I can't fail to make one note about the book. Despite the fact that the title is "Beautiful Lego" there are some rather ugly Lego creations contained within. For example, there's one sculpture called "The Doll" which looks as if you can peel back the skin and see the 'blood and guts' of the doll on the inside. I think it looks creepy and not at all beautiful. There are a couple of less than beautiful additions. However, if I had to slap a percentage on creepy vs. astounding, I would say this book is 5% creepy and 95% pure awesome.

Many thanks to No Starch Press for sending a copy of this book my direction in order to facilitate this review. I received no additional compensation for this post. And all enthusiastic opinions are 100% my very own.