Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

We are reading this book for our book club, and I admit I wasn't very excited about it.  The name sounded quite forbidding and sermonizing somehow, and as I thumbed through the pages, I saw little or no dialogue.  But since it is a Pulitzer Prize winner, I thought I'd better give it a sporting chance.


And I am so glad I did!  Both reflective and inspiring, but with a good story line (yes, it does have a story, even without the dialogue!) it wasn't preachy like I suspected.  Ironically enough, it is the fictional autobiography of a preacher in Gilead, Iowa, nearing the end of his life.  As he writes to the son who will not remember him, he discovers that even in old age there is much to learn.  It is so beautifully written!  Marilynne Robinson's writing style kept reminding me of C.S. Lewis in his more serious books (i.e. Mere Christianity, etc.).  No swearing that I can recall, and nothing inappropriate or risqué.


It was one of those books that made me contemplate how I treat others and what I judge them by.  It seemed to go right along with our prophet's words from the General Relief society meeting last weekend:


"Mother Teresa, a Catholic nun who worked among the poor in India most of her life, spoke this profound truth: 'If you judge people, you have no time to love them.' . . . I ask: can we love one another, as the Savior has commanded, if we judge each other? And I answer—with Mother Teresa: no, we cannot. . . .I have in mind the charity that impels us to be sympathetic, compassionate, and merciful, not only in times of sickness and affliction and distress but also in times of weakness or error on the part of others."


I hope you find time to read and enjoy this one!  And  Pres. Monson's talk too, if you have the chance!

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

Because of Winn-Dixie is about a girl who has moved into a new place and doesn't have any friends, until she finds a dog who helps her find new friends in her neighborhood. Because of Winn-Dixie is a great book.

A Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver Van DeMille

Look at me, reading a non-fiction book!  I'm quite proud of myself.

Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Newton, and countless other great leaders received their education through the use of two things:  a great mentor and an in-depth study of the classics.  Oliver Van DeMille (who, coincidentally belongs to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints--I had no idea until I ran across a quote by Neal A. Maxwell), founder of George Wythe University, makes the assertion that these great leaders became great because they learned from past great leaders and their writings.

I'm warning you, this book will probably really change the way you think about how you raise and teach your children.  And although DeMille's principles are probably best used in a home school setting, there are definitely some jewels of wisdom in this book that can be used by public school parents and teachers to make us all better statesmen.  (By the way, a statesman, by his definition, "doesn't mean being famous or even involved in government; it means that you demonstrate virtue, wisdom, diplomacy and courage in whatever you are called upon to do.")

I love his idea of reading books with your children, then discussing and writing about them afterwards, asking probing questions and applying the lessons learned from books like Great Expectations and Jane Eyre to real life.

Here are a few quotes that really rang true to me:
"As students become familiar with and eventually conversant with the great ideas of humanity, they will learn how to think, how to lead, and how to become great.  The classics, by introducing the young mind to the greatest achievements of mankind and the teachings of God, prepare children to become successful human beings, parents and leaders in their own time."

"If we will let them, the classics can teach us lessons without the pain of repeating certain mistakes ourselves. . . . As we read we experience despair, heartache, tragedy--and we learn to recognize what causes them and avoid it in our own lives. . . .First we are caused to think about the characters in the story, then about ourselves, then about people we know, and finally about humanity in general."

I loved the beginning and middle of this book.  There were parts towards the end that I felt were perhaps a bit excessive, but it was a fast read and well worth the time I spent in it.  I hope you enjoy it too!  (And thank you Leslie for the recommendation!)

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

Now, if you've seen the movie, Ella Enchanted, don't despair; the book is ten times better.  I mean, don't get me wrong--I liked the movie okay, and I think Hugh Dancy is a great actor, but they changed a lot of things and made it somehow modern in ways it wasn't supposed to be.  So . . .  all that aside, back to the book.

There have been countless retold fairy tales about Cinderella, but I love the twist on this one--that Ella has to obey any order she is given.  You'll find all the elements of the original story (i.e. the glass slippers, the ball, pumpkin carriage, and wicked stepsisters) along with a spunky, spirited heroine who has a mind of her own.  This one is appropriate for about 4th grade and up--clean and cute, and hey--a Newberry Honor book!

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

If you're looking for something light and quick to read, this might just be the ticket.

Stargirl Caraway, the eccentric, spontaneous heroine, always sings to her fellow students on their birthdays and always looks out for those who might be having a rough time.  Slightly odd, but always genuine, she is unafraid to be her own person.

If I had a pre-teen/teenage daughter (or son, I guess, although I can't see boys getting into this one much), I'd probably encourage them to give Stargirl a try.  It was clean and a really quick read--I think it only took me a day or two--but it was well-written and kept me reading to find out what would happen.  I believe it has a sequel (which I haven't read yet . . . ) called Love, Stargirl--I'll be sure to post if I ever read it!

Our Hearts Were Young and Gay by Cornelia Otis Skinner

Light-hearted, hilarious, old-fashioned yet witty, this book is so much fun!  My grandma gave me her copy when I was in high school, and I have read it a few times whenever I needed a "'tweener"--something to read between hefty or intense novels.  More a travelogue than a story, it's the cheery tale of two 19-year-old girls on their first "independent" tour of Europe.  They encounter one mishap after another, from a shipwreck to spending a night (unwittingly) in a brothel--and it's all true!  I think it's the way Skinner puts things that makes it so entertaining.  (It reminds me of The Egg and I by Betty MacDonald, another delightful autobiography of sorts.) There is no underlying plot or "the moral of the story is . . ." but everyone once in a while it's nice to have a book like that, you know?

My copy looks like this (c. 1942):

. . . but apparently the newest version on Amazon (used for $7.50) is more like this.  Worth looking into!