Reading Journal: Hitty Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Fields

 

Book Description:

Hitty is a very special doll who belongs to Phoebe Preble. Phoebe is proud of her beautiful doll and brings Hitty everywhere she goes. This is thrilling for Hitty, who finds herself involved in the most wonderful adventures both on land and at sea. She meets many people and makes new friends.

This is the story of the first hundred years of Hitty's life. And that's only the beginning for a doll as special as Hitty.

My thoughts:
Hitty Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Fields tells the story of Hitty, a doll made out of mountain-ash, who becomes the property of Phoebe Preble. She enjoys many adventures while living with Phoebe including being captured by a crow, is miraculously saved from a burning ship, and is rescued from natives, only to fall from Phoebe's hands while in India. She spends some years stuffed in a horsehair couch before being rescued and going to live with a Quaker family. She went on to meet a famous poet, Charles Dickens, and then was put on display for an Exhibition. After many more adventures she ends her memoirs sitting in an antique shop.

This was a cute story and I was surprised how well I ended up liking it. It was a fun story. It was also interesting to see how many places she ended up going and all the things she did even if it included sitting in a hay barn for a while. Any girl who likes dolls or fun adventure stories would enjoy this story.

Reading Journal: Mrs. Miniver by Jan Struther

Book Description:

Shortly before the Second World War, a column by 'Mrs. Miniver' appeared in THE TIMES, the first of many recounting the everyday events of a middle-class Chelsea family: Mrs. Miniver's thrill at the sight of October chrysanthemums; her sense of doom when the faithful but rackety car is replaced; the escapades of Vin, Toby and Judy, her unpredictable young children; visits to the Kent cottage and, as war becomes a reality, the strange experience of acquiring gas masks and the camaraderie of those unsettling early days. Mrs. Miniver enchanted the public with her sympathy and affectionate humour, capturing ordinary lives and values now darkened by war. First published in book form in 1939 and later an enormously successful film, MRS MINIVER became a bestseller on both sides of the Atlantic -- with Churchill exclaiming that it had done more for the Allied cause than a flotilla of battleships.

My thoughts:
When the title Mrs. Miniver is mentioned most people will think of the film with Greer Garson. Somehow this title ended up on my TBR list and languished there until I compiled my The Classics Club list.

Mrs. Miniver is told in a series of stories, or episodes. It is very different from the film, and of course a lot better than the film. Mrs. Miniver covers an array of topics such as marriage, the war, gardening, friends, going to the dentist, flying, and so much more. The main theme throughout is how the ordinary can become extraordinary. My favorite chapter was titled "At the Dentist's" which showed that not too much has changed in how people feel about going to the dentist.

I have to say I enjoyed Mrs. Miniver immensely. It is a beautifully written story and even though set before the World War II there was so much I could relate to. You can read a few teasers here. Highly recommended!

Reading Journal: The Adventures of Tintin Volume 1 by Herge

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Book Description:

Whether he's trolling the high seas for treasure or blasting off for the moon, young reporter-sleuth Tintin and his faithful dog, Snowy, have delighted readers everywhere for generations and with their timeless adventures. Join Tintin and Snowy as they tackle the toughest mysteries around the world in Tintin in America, Cigars of the Pharaoh, and The Blue Lotus.

My thoughts:
I had never heard of Tintin until I started homeschooling 10 years ago and I was on a hunt to find book that my oldest son would read. Our librarian, who was a homeschooler, suggested looking at the Tintin books which he did. Thus began his foray into Tintin world. Since that time we have bought the whole Adventure 3 in 1 set and these have been a staple in my kids' reading lives.

Needless, to say I have never read them so I decided I would check out and see what all the fuss is. In Adventures of Tintin Volume 1 (3-in-1) the basic gist is Tintin, a young reporter and sleuth, sets out on a journey and is either immediately kidnapped or something unusual happens which gets his curiosity up. He then spends the rest of the time trying to escape from the evil men while looking for the truth. In the midst of these adventures, which take place in different areas of the world, he has the help of his dog, Snowy, and the bumbling, not very helpful detective, the Thompson Twins. In the end he solves the mystery and one adventure leads into another.

I can see why Tintin is appealing to kids, especially boys. There is definitely more substance to these books than the Archie comics (my only other experience with comic books). Not everything in these is politically correct, but I would still hand them to my kids without hesitation.

Learn more about Tintin at the Tintin website. My kids have also enjoyed the The Adventures Of Tintin: Season One and The Adventures Of Tintin: Season Two and The Adventures of Tintin which was released in 2011 (Reading Adventures of Tintin Volume 3 (3-in-1) goes with this film.)

 

 

Reading Journal: Whose Body? by Dorothy Sayers

Book Description:

In the debut mystery in Dorothy L. Sayers’s acclaimed Lord Peter Wimsey series, the case of a dead bather draws Lord Peter into the first of many puzzling mysteries Lord Peter Wimsey spends his days tracking down rare books, and his nights hunting killers. Though the Great War has left his nerves frayed with shellshock, Wimsey continues to be London’s greatest sleuth—and he’s about to encounter his oddest case yet.  

A strange corpse has appeared in a suburban architect’s bathroom, stark naked save for an incongruous pince-nez. When Wimsey arrives on the scene, he is confronted with a once-in-a-lifetime puzzle. The police suspect that the bathtub’s owner is the murderer, but Wimsey’s investigation quickly reveals that the case is much stranger than anyone could have predicted.  

My thoughts:
If you read any kind of mysteries it isn't long before the name Dorothy Sayers will pop up. Since I've been reading quite a few mysteries lately I decided to delve into Whose Body?, the first book in the Lord Peter Wimsey Series. I have to admit that just the name Lord Peter Wimsey intrigues me enough to read the book!

Detective work to Lord Peter Wimsey is a hobby. He has the aid of a Scotland Yard man, Charles Parker, and his loyal butler, Bunter to help him with his sleuthing. He isn't bothered in the least with his unconventional ways of investigation and he will keep investigating until he finds the real murderer.

If Bertie Wooster (P.G. Wodehouse) entered the mystery genre I think it would look a lot like Lord Peter Wimsey. Yes, Wimsey is much smarter than Bertie, but that element of British humor is a great addition. I did find the murder details in this story to be more descriptive than say an Agatha Christie Poirot mystery, but not anything close to most modern mystery writers.

I really enjoyed Whose Body?.  Sayers writes a very suspenseful mystery with a just the right amount of humor in it that adds to the overall story.

Here were some passages I enjoyed:

• "Oh, quite," said Lord Peter, grinning at the telephone. The Duchess was always of the greatest assistance to his hobby of criminal investigation, though she never alluded to it, and maintained a polite fiction of its nonexistence.

• "I'm sure it must have been uncommonly distressin'," said Lord Peter, sympathetically, "especially comin' like that before breakfast. Hate anything tiresome happenin' before breakfast. Takes a man at such a confounded disadvantage, what?" 

• Nevertheless, while communing with Dante, he made up his mind.

Reading Journal: Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry

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Book Description:

"Ignorant boys, killing each other," is just about all Nathan Coulter would tell his wife, friends, and family about the Battle of Okinawa in the spring of 1945. Life carried on for the community of Port William, Kentucky, as some boys returned from the war and the lives of others were mourned. In her seventies, Nathan's wife, Hannah, has time now to tell of the years since the war. In Wendell Berry's unforgettable prose, we learn of the Coulter's children, of the Feltners and Branches, and how survivors "live right on."

My thoughts:
I have heard many good things about Wendell Berry's books. I really have a thing about reading books in order, but I had a hard time figuring out which book came first in his "Port William" novels and ending up just diving into Hannah Coulter.

I have to admit that Wendell Berry does a great job of drawing you right into the story. This story wasn't easy to put down. The story begins with the beginning of Hannah's life and follows her through growing up, years on her own, romance, marriage, being a widow and a new mom, and then finally the life she built with Nathan Coulter. It also gives a peek of the community of Port William and the people who surrounded them day in and out.

Wendell Berry writes very realistic fiction and I have to admit that as much as I enjoyed the story I also found it very sad and too realistic. I loved Hannah's resilient spirit, but her children were such a disappointment to me and just plain made me mad. I do like a story with a satisfying ending, which I didn't find in Hannah Coulter, but I do think it gave me a lot to think about.

Though Hannah Coulter didn't meet my expectations, I will be checking out other Wendell Berry books just to satisfy my curiosity. Have you read Wendell Berry? Which ones do you recommend?

Reading Journal - Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (Audio Book)

Book Description:

Born and raised in the appalling deprivation of the workhouse, orphan Oliver escapes the drudgery of apprenticeship and heads for London, only to fall into the hands of the notorious Fagin and his gang of child thieves. But Oliver is an innocent at heart, and the attempts by Fagin and the impudently witty Artful Dodger to teach him the tricks of the pick-pocket’s trade lead only to his almost immediate capture. His subsequent rescue, by the kindly Mr. Brownlow, is only the beginning of a series of adventures that lead him to an incredible discovery.

My thoughts:
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens is a book that is coming up for one of next school years literature selections for Destini and Chantry. I have been trying to be more intentional and read ahead so I know what they are talking about when they come and narrate to me. Plus, it makes me look better in their eyes if I have read it!

I have only read one Dicken's book which was The Pickwick Papers and to be honest that wasn't an easy read. I decided to listen to it on audio book to make the thought of reading Dickens a little less scary. Well, I really didn't need to be worried. Oliver Twist is a much different book than The Pickwick Papers .

I wasn't that far into the story when I could kind of see where the story was heading and how it would probably end, though I didn't know exactly how or hadn't figured out how each character fit into the story. That didn't make the story any less appealing, though, due to Dicken's great description's of the places that Olive went and lived and also all the interesting people that Oliver's life touched in some way whether good or bad.It was amazing how I could be swayed from love to hatred in just seconds. I definitely felt a whole gamut of emotions.  I think I held my breath for most of the story.

I was also in suspense the whole time to see if poor Oliver would truly escape from Fagin and Monks. And then there was the awful robber, Bill Sikes, and poor Nancy, that even though I knew what would happen to her in the end, I still was horrified when she died. Thankfully it was balanced out with all the characters that showed such love to Oliver--Mr. Brownlow, Mrs. Maylie, and Rose.

The narrator, Martin Jarvis, does a wonderful job of reading this book. He uses quite variety of voices and they were all excellent. When he does the voice of Fagin, I think I had a chills go up and down my spine every time. He makes him sound that creepy!

This book will definitely be going on the list to read, though I can't decide if I will read it aloud or let them use the audio book. I'm kind of leaning toward reading aloud since it does deal with some heavy topics. My oldest hasn't read it and I think it would be great for him to join us in it.

If your only knowledge of Oliver Twist is from a cartoon film (like mine was) I urge to go check out Oliver Twist immediately and acquaint yourself with the real Oliver. I don't think you will be disappointed!

 

Reading Journal: To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

Book Description:

The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it, To Kill A Mockingbird became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic.  

Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, To Kill A Mockingbird takes readers to the roots of human behavior - to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now with over 18 million copies in print and translated into forty languages, this regional story by a young Alabama woman claims universal appeal. Harper Lee always considered her book to be a simple love story. Today it is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature.

My thoughts:
I don't know what thoughts I can add to such a book as To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee that hasn't already been said, but I found it left quite a different impression on my than what I though it would.

My favorite character was Scout, though you can't help but admire and apprecite Atticus. I really loved how Scout viewed the world. There were no gray areas. It was all black and white.

She saw through every one's prejudice whether it had was between the black and the whites or if it was just between different families in the town. And when it is was all said and done, I really think that was the author's intent. Yes, she used the prejudice between the blacks and the whites as her theme, but underneath there was that sly poking and prodding at all the different prejudices that every one in the community had.

I think it can be summed up best by Jesus words from Matthew 7:1-5:

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Yes, this is a tough story to read. Yes, it deals with unsavory topics or let's just call it what is is--sin . And yes, it even had a few "cuss" words in it.  It shows human beings at their worst and at their best. As long as there are humans beings in this world there will be prejudices; it is human nature--differences scare people. And this is what made me think long and hard about what scares me at times and I asked myself, "Am I careful about what I say or do when I'm faced with these differences, especially as a Christian?" along with, "What am I portraying to my children?" Ouch!

I know--not quite what you were expecting was it, but there you have it.

Stay tuned. Tomorrow for Tuesday Teaser I'm going to share my favorite line of the book.

Reading Journal: Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott

 

Book Description:

Rose Campbell has returned to the Aunt Hill from two years of travel with her Uncle Alec, and she has some shocking ideas. She's sick of being told that marriage is all a young woman is meant for. Even though her cousin Charlie has decided that Rose (and her fortune) are destined to be his, Rose vows to have nothing to do with romance until she's proved that she's a capable person in her own right. Still, Rose longs for a taste of fashion and society, and she throws herself into a whirlwind of parties. It's great fun at first to be surrounded by admirers, but before long Rose finds it difficult to know who her real friends are. The the person she trusts most makes a startling declaration. Will Rose make the right choice?

My thoughts:
In an earlier post I shared my thoughts on Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott, which had been a favorite read of mine when my Grandma first shared the book with me. Several years later I was browsing a bookstore when I happened upon Rose in Bloom, the sequel to Eight Cousins .

Rose in Bloom begins with Rose returning from a European journey with her Uncle Alec. Everyone has grown up and are now young men and woman ready to enter adulthood. All the aunts have an opinion on how Rose should live her life and the importance of marrying one of her cousins (to keep the money in the family).

Rose has decided to become a philanthropist, but sets that aside for awhile and succumbs to attending parties and enjoying society. Soon Rose find out that society life isn't all that is meant to be and with the help of her Uncle Alec finds a way to balance fun and work and while beginning her work of philanthropy.

Charlie, her cousin, takes possession of Rose and is determined to win her love. Though Rose likes Charlie she is hesitant to commit to anything since Charlie likes to go with the wrong crowd and lives recklessly. Rose soon calls upon her cousin Mac to help her as she goes out in society. Mac, the bookworm, rises to the challenge and eventually decides he is going to "study" love. As Rose slowly discovers her calling she also discovers love may come from an unexpected source.

In re-reading Rose in Bloom I found I enjoyed it just as much now as I did when I first read it.  Yes, there are a few ideas in it that you don't really hear about today such as getting married to a cousin or becoming a philanthropist (do kids today even know what that is?). For the most part it is just a coming of age story of young woman and a young men. You will laugh and cry as Rose and her cousins struggle to find their way in the world.

If you like Louisa May Alcott's writing I highly recommend reading Eight Cousins and the sequel, Rose in Bloom . They have a different feel to them than her other reads, but are just as enjoyable. Highly recommended!