Jane Eyre

We have enjoyed the comments posted about The Actor & The Housewife by Shannon Hale. Feel free to continue making comments, but it is time to get going on another of Grandma's favorites.....or at least it used to be. The following are her comments on it this time around:

"I am enjoying reading Jane Eyre (by Charlotte Bronte) again, but I think I liked it more when I first read it. Now I am getting more critical and find it hard to stick with for long periods of time. I put it down and read something more frivolous or relaxing, then take it up again. It was first published in 1847 and is so different from the very modern novel we just finished. We do see life differently now in many ways, but I am impressed with the lasting values expressed in Jane Eyre. Integrity and goodness remain the same in time. There is much to admire in Jane's character. She is a little fighter."

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I've almost got my "Christmas" put away, and begin to feel that a return to routine isn't far off. I have mixed feelings about that, as I will miss the holidays, but need routine. I'm sure most of you can relate on some level.

SO.....I'm ready now to get back into "Reading With Grandma" and hope you are too! I haven't asked Grandma about it, but I think I will suggest to her that we read Jane Eyre in January and February, commenting on it the first part of March. If she has different ideas I'll edit this post to reflect that.

We're looking forward NOW to your comments on The Actor and The Housewife.

When Julie explained in an earlier post why she suggested The Actor and The Housewife she also quoted Shannon Hale as saying: I hope that readers want to talk about it. I have a lovely dream of groups of readers, women especially, sitting around and talking, heatedly sometimes, questioning the actions of the characters, debating some of the questions raised, what the characters did or didn't do, and the way I chose to tell the story. I hope there are lots of questions, debates, and listening too. And I hope that activity is fun.

We can't all be together in Grandma's living room to discuss this book, but I'm sure that if we could we would have a lively discussion.  So post your comments accordingly, not limiting yourself to one comment only.

Grandma's Comments:  I enjoyed reading this book but have mixed feelings about it.  It seemed too busy – too many things happening that weren't real to me.  I did like the ending and will enjoy reading more books by Shannon Hale. 

Aunt Louise's Comments: I think Shannon Hale is a good contemporary writer. But some of her humor–and there was a lot of it in the book–was over my head, making me feel a bit out of touch. But that's okay. What I really struggled with was their relationship, and wondered if it was even possible for me to have that kind of a "best friend" other than my eternal companion. And if I did–even if it was another woman–I wouldn't be on the phone with them daily, etc., etc., etc. It's not my style. But I liked the ending!  Maybe I should say I was relieved by the ending, and felt that any other ending would have been a compromise. For me, the very best part of the book, and the only thing I underlined, was the way she felt about "The Kiss". I don't have the book any more, it's either with Adrienne or Grandma. If I think of it, I'll include the direct quote later on. It was great!

Merry Christmas!

Thanks again to all of you who sent in your  lists of favorite Christmas books and stories!  I hope you've enjoyed reading the lists even if you haven't found a new favorite to add to your own list.

Got to thinking we could use this blog for more than just book lists and reviews! So....I decided to send our Christmas Greetings to you via the blog. If any of the rest of you would like to e-mail me your Christmas newsletter, saved as a jpeg, or straight text plus pictures, I would be happy to put them on the blog as well.

Lots of love, and Merry Christmas to you all!

FROM AUNT PEACHY & UNCLE ROLAND: "Singdaan Faailohk!"  Merry Christmas from Macau!  We've had a wonderful year, and are finding it hard to believe we'll be home next Christmas.  Being able to share the message of the Savior of the World on a daily basis makes it seem like Christmas all year long.  We are so grateful for the gospel, and for the love and support of family. How blessed we are!

FROM JENN & MIKE WALLACE, in Joplin, Missouri.......MERRY CHRISTMAS!

OUR CHRISTMAS FAVORITES

Thanks to all who responded to my request for favorite Christmas Stories and or Books. I hope you will take the time to pick something from the following lists to read this year.  Who knows but that it might become one of your favorites as well. 

NOTE: I really thought there would be more duplication of favorites than there was. But the following books made it on to more than one list:  Secret Santa by Anne Osborn Poelman, The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg, Snowmen At Night by Caralyn Buehner, and A Christmas Carol by Dickens.

GRANDMA MARY'S FAVORITES:

• Skipping Chrstmas by John Grisham
  
• Christmas Secret by Anne Perry
  
• Finding Noel by Richard Paul Evans
  
• Secret Santa by Anne osborn Poelman
  

TORI'S FAVORITES:

We have a basket of our favorite Christmas books and try to read one a day leading up to Christmas.  We have weeded these out through the years and we really like all of these- sorry that there are so many!  

• Lemony Snicket- The Lump of Coal
  
• The Best Christmas Pageant Ever- Barbara Robinson
  
• The Gift of the Magi- O. Henry
  
• The Other Wise Man- Henry Van Dyke
  
• How Santa Got His Job- Stephen Krensky
  
• The Little Match Girl- Hans Christian Andersen
  
• An Ellis Island Christmas- Maxinne Rhea Leighton
  
• Olive, the Other Reindeer- J. Otto Seibold
  
• The Hat- Jan Brett
  
• Always the Elf- Kimberly Jensen
  
• Are You Grumpy Santa?- Gregg and Evan Spiridellis
  
• The Snow Must Go On (a way, way off-broadway adventure)- Molly Wigand
  
• Drummer Boy- Loren Long
  
• The Polar Express- Chris Van Allsburg
  
• Dear Santa Claus- Alan Durant
  
• Mooseltoe- Margie Palatini
  
• Frosty the Snowman- Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins
  
• Snowmen at Night- Caralyn Buehner
  
• I Spy Christmas -photographs by Walter Wick
  
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas- Dr. Seuss
  
• Harvey Slumfenburger’s Christmas Present- John Burningham
  
• If You Take a Mouse to the Movies- Laura Numeroff
  
• Bob- Sandra Boynton
  
• The Night Before Christmas- Clement Clark Moore
  

TREV'S FAVORITE: My favorite book is A Christmas Carol by Dickens.  Not very original, but I love it.

RACHEL'S FAVORITE: The past few years I’ve read A Christmas Carol by Dickens during the holiday season and I love re-reading it.  No matter what, the message is always good and makes you want to be better.  So that’s the one I recommend, especially if you’ve never read it.

SOME OF ADRIENNE'S FAVORITES:

• The Velveteen Rabbit
  
• The Polar Express
  
• Secret Santa
  
• “A Night Without Darkness” (There's book with that title and there is also a story in any old Children's Friend Magazine.  Both are very good.)
  
• The Gingerbread Baby

JULIE'S COMMENTS:

We love the library at Christmas time because we have a woefully small collection of Christmas books.  My kids love one that we do have:  it's The Nutcracker and we have it on CD so they love to curl up together and listen to it as they look at the pictures.  I love all the ideas on the blog--I really need to get to the library and see if I can bring any of them home!

AUNT LOUISE'S RECOMMENDATIONS: 

As mentioned earlier one of our family’s Christmas traditions was to burn an advent candle in the evening before bedtime and read a Christmas story or two every night during December up to and including Christmas Eve when we would read THE Christmas Story from Luke. I now have a large cupboard filled with my collection of Christmas books.  But over the years certain books and stories stand out as time honored favorites! And usually the illustrations are as wonderful as the storyline itself. (That's important to me!)

For Children with Parental Supervision:

• The Jolly Christmas Postman by Janet & Allan Ahlberg 
  
• Any of the Christmas pop up books by Robert Sabuda
  

For Children:

• The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
  
• Snowmen At Night AND Snowmen At Christmas by Caralyn & Mark Buehner
  
• The Amazing Christmas Extravaganza by David Shannon
  
• The Tale of Three Trees retold by Angela Elwell & Tim Jonke
  
• Christmas Oranges by Linda Bethers & Ben Sowards 
  
• The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojciechowski & P.J. Lynch
  
• This is the Star by Joyce Dunbar & Gary Blythe
  

For Adults/Young Adults:

• Secret Santa by Anne Osborn Poelman
  
• Two From Galilee by Marjorie Holmes
  
• Don’t Forget The Star by George  D. Durrant
  

MUST HAVE: If I could recommend only one book for your Christmas reading it would have to be "THIS IS THE SEASON"by Simon Dewey. The tender text (lyrics to the well-loved Christmas carol “The Nativity Song” by Patricia Kelsey Graham) and Dewey’s incredible artwork are accompanied by wonderful insights from great church leaders as well as scriptures that “inspire those who wish to pause amidst the hustle and bustle of the season and reflect on the things of God and his Son, ‘the dear baby of Bethlehem, little Lord Jesus, the Savior of Men.’” If you don’t have it.....that’s really too bad! I just checked the internet for available copies.  I guess it’s out of print and Deseret Book has none. Amazon has some new ones for over $200 each and used ones for $75 or more each. (I bought it for $20 in 2002!) Check the libraries and used book stores as this is a must read/must have.

JENNIFER WRITES: I'm sorry this has taken me so long, but I thought I'd add to your Christmas book list.

• Some of our Christmas favorites (in no particular order):
  
• The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
  
• God Bless Your Way A Christmas Journey by Emily Freeman (comes with a beautiful CD by Hilary Weeks) This is one of our newer favorites
  
• When Jesus Was Born in Bethlehem (scripture verses telling the story with beautiful artwork) Paintings by Joseph Brickey
  
• This is the Season Beloved of the Year Artwork by Simon Dewey
  
• Who Was Born This Special Day by Eve Bunting (This is good for younger listeners - short text and beautiful artwork)
  
• The Tale of Three Trees retold by Angela Elwell Hunt
  
• Where did they hide my presents? silly dilly Christmas songs by Alan Katz and David Catrow (Cute "remakes" of traditional Christmas songs - I use these at school)
  
• Welcome Comfort by Patricia Polacco
  
• An Orange for Frankie by Patricia Polacco
  
• Mooseltoe by Margie Palatini
  
• This is the Star by Joyce Dunbar (repeated text - great for younger readers who like to "read" along)
  
• My Penguin Osbert by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel (This is my newest favorite)
  
• Christmas Oranges retold by Linda Bethers
  
• The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore illus. by Christian Birmingham
  
• The Stars Came Out on Christmas by William Boniface (another good one for younger listeners learning counting)
  
• Secret Santa by Anne Osborn Poelman
  
• A Stranger for Christmas by Carol Lynn Pearson
  

We also have several short stories that we read each year that have become favorites. Some of these are probably published as books, but I just have them as typed up stories.

• "Carla's Gift  The True Story of a Little Girl Who Knew the Joy of Giving" by Torey Hayden
  
• "A Different King of Christmas" (this was made into a movie)
  
• "The C-C-Choir Boy" by Fred Bauer
  
• "Christmas Day in the Morning" by Pearl S. Buck (also made into a movie)
  
• "A Brother Like That" (Especially for Mormons, Volume 2)
  
• "Davey and the First Christmas" by Beth Vardon
  
• "Pattern of Love" by Jack Smith
  
• "The Littlest Angel" by Charles Tazewell
  
• "A Boy Learns a Lesson" by Thomas S. Monson
  
• "Trouble at the Inn" by Dina Donahue
  
• "Is There a Santa Claus?" by Francis P. Church
  
• "Someone Missing at the Manger" by Elizabeth Starr Hill
  
• "The Bridge"
  

Merry Christmas!!!!

If anyone else wants to add their list, PLEASE DO! And everyone please, have a WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS SEASON!   

Love, 

Aunt Louise

In January we’ll look forward to your comments on The Actor & The Housewife.

The Hiding Place & The Actor and The Housewife

THE HIDING PLACE

I'm sorry if you are tired of me always sharing my favorite quotes from the books we read. But these truisms are exactly what I feel is important, and want to remember. Sooooooooo........ 

My favorite "HIDING PLACE" quotes:

• That was Father's secret: not that he overlooked the differences in people; that he didn't know they were there.
  
• Happiness isn't something that depends on our surroundings, Corrie.  It's something we make inside ourselves.
  
• How often it is a small, almost unconscious event that marks a turning point.
  
• This was evil's hour: we could not run away from it.  Perhaps only when human effort had done its best and failed, would God's power alone be free to work.
  
• Like waifs clustered around a blazing fire, we gathered about it, holding out our hearts to its warmth and light.  The blacker the night around us grew, the brighter and truer and more beautiful burned the word of God.  "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?...Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."
  
• Surely there is no more wretched sight than the human body unloved and uncared for.
  
• Oh, this was the great ploy of Satan in that kingdom of his; to display such blatant evil that one could almost believe one's own secret sins didn't matter.
  
• When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives, along with the command, the love itself.
  
• Whatever in our life is hardest to bear, love can transform into beauty......when we're feeling poorest–when we've lost a friend, when a dream has failed, when we seem to have noting left in the world to make life beautiful–that's when God says: You're richer than you think.  – Elizabeth Sherrill in the last chapter entitled "Since Then"

Seldom.....no, never in my life have I been able to relate to the kind of suffering that Corrie and her family, along with so many others, experienced during that horrible time in our history. Nor am I able to relate with her profound faith, and her ability to remain positive and forgiving...... even to the point of loving those who hurt her so deeply, and witnessing miracles as a result. 

On an even more personal note, I have a dear niece, who along with her family have recently experienced and continue to experience, some very difficult challenges as well. Briefly, she is a mother of four. The oldest child isn't two yet, and she delivered triplets less than two months ago.  About two weeks after the triplets birth she suffered a brain hemorrhage. We didn't know if she would survive, and if she did what her chances were for any kind of a normal life, and how she would ever care for her little ones. Since then I have been bowled over by the faith and love and support that surrounds this young mother, and the miracles that have multiplied as a result. She still has a long way to go, but in the end it will be a beautiful story. Like Elizabeth Sherrill wrote at the end of The Hiding Place ......Whatever in our life is hardest to bear, love can transform into beauty......

I doubt any of us will be asked to suffer the way Corrie did, or have the challenges that my niece and her family face, but we will all experience our own set of trials, and I hope to remember these marvelous examples and be strengthened by them when difficult times come in my life.

I'm sure the family wouldn't mind if I invited you to check out the blog they are keeping to record my niece's recovery. I think you would find it truly inspirational.  janielsjourney.blogspot.com

We'll start looking for your comments on The Hiding Place in the next week or so!

THE ACTOR AND THE HOUSEWIFE is our book for November!

Since Julie is the one who recommended this book, I asked her to write a little intro for us. Thanks Julie!  Sounds like a fun book!

"I recommended The Actor and the Housewife because I remembered that it made me laugh and it made me cry.  Shannon Hale's books have a lot of fun conversation between the characters--I enjoy their wit and the back and forth that goes on.  I also loved her portrayal of people that fit themselves into a sterotype (i.e. hollywood gypsy, gossipping Mormon women...)

 

"Reading it again I noticed how Felix goes from denying that God exists at the beginning to saying a small prayer, in essence, at the end.  I tried to notice the journey that he made during the book and not just the journey that Becky makes.  And I laughed and cried in all the same spots the second time through.

 

"Shannon Hale wrote this on her website about this book:  " In interviews, "I'm often asked, "What do you hope readers take from your books?" I have a hard time answering that question, because I never write toward a purpose or moral. I just hope that a reader takes whatever she needs from my story. And while that's still true for this book, I do have a tiny hope: I hope that readers want to talk about it. I have a lovely dream of groups of readers, women especially, sitting around and talking, heatedly sometimes, questioning the actions of the characters, debating some of the questions raised, what the characters did or didn't do, and the way I chose to tell the story. I hope there are lots of questions, debates, and listening too. And I hope that activity is fun."

"I guess she's getting her wish!  There are a lot of points to debate in the book--if I picked one it would be the ending.  I really don't like the ending because it seems like Becky starts grasping at straws just to make all the dots connect.  I guess I'll read your comments to see what everyone else thinks."

THE HUNGER GAMES Discussion

Jenn will be commenting soon.  But I thought I might as well get things started.  

Since I had never heard of The Hunger Games previously, when I saw Becca reading it, during our family's summer get-together, my first thought was “Oh...another diet book.” Obviously though, no diet book could have riveted her attention the way this did.

Unlike the other books we’ve been reading I wasn’t inspired to do a lot of underlining and margin noting, but it certainly held my interest. The whole idea of the hunger games reminds me of ancient Rome and the gladiators. It’s so barbaric and uncivilized that initially it seems beyond the realm of possibility. But it did happen anciently, and as a society we’re certainly on a downward slope and moving fast! I can’t help but think of our fascination with reality tv shows where only the cleverest and strongest...... the fittest survive, and I wonder if it could ever actually evolve into such nightmarish evil.   

– Aunt Louise

Grandma Mary wrote:  

I have mixed feelings about The Hunger Games.  It is an exciting book to read and far different from the books I ordinarily read. I can understand why younger people and especially teenagers would enjoy this book. I was glad to finish it and it left me up in the air. It is a trilogy – so the end is far away. I don’t think I will read the other two books – but would dearly like to see the last page of Book III!!!

JENNIFER'S DISCUSSION POINTS:  

I heard the buzz about The Hunger Games long before I finally decided to read it.  I would overhear people talking about it in little bits and pieces – never enough for me to understand the plot, but I was intrigued.  Finally, I decided to check it out for myself, and it didn’t disappoint. 

I enjoyed the characters, the roller coaster plot, the romance and adventure.

Although the book is futuristic, I appreciated the text to world connections.  I felt like Suzanne Collins was giving a nod to Survivor, Wipe Out, Lost, and American Gladiator.  It makes you wonder if this is where reality TV is headed?  What will TV producers and directors do to push the envelope to keep ratings high…Extreme Survivor?  And more importantly, what will the public do about it… Will we choose entertainment over humanity?

As in The Giver, 1984, Freedom Factor, and more recently The Uglies trilogy, the theme of the book is government control.  The possibility of such a thing is perplexing and disconcerting.  However, I think it is important to realize that every day we are inching closer and closer. 

This book was not one of my all time favorites, but it was a great read.  From the “grabber” lead to the very last page, I was captivated.  It’s a book that really made me think and ponder.  Ilah recently started reading it, and I am anxious to discuss it with her.

Looking forward to YOUR comments on The Hunger Games!

My Antonia • Final Thoughts

I finished reading My Antonia a few weeks ago, and have since finished The Hunger Games. While I try to sort out my feelings about The Hunger Games I thought I might share some favorite quotes from My Antonia before we put it back up on the shelf and move forward.  If any of you have any more comments about it, they too are still welcome.

Perhaps the only part of the book I didn't enjoy were the chapters about his time away at college. For some reason it felt a bit dark to me and I  had a hard time following or understanding it all.

But what I LOVED about this book is Cather's remarkable ability to describe anything...... emotion, landscape, people, etc., and the way she speaks of goodness without seeming to preach. (Or does she Ben?) The following quotes are just a very few examples of my favorites from My Antonia.

I was entirely happy.  Perhaps we feel like that when we die and become a part of something entire, whether it is sun and air, or goodness and knowledge.  At any rate, that is happiness; to be dissolved into something complete and great.  When it comes to one, it comes as naturally as sleep.  – Jim alone in the garden

I can remember how glad I was when there happened to be a light in the church, and the painted glass window shone out at us as we came along the frozen street.  In the winter bleakness a hunger for colour came over people, like the Laplander’s craving for fats and sugar.  We used to linger on the sidewalk outside the church when the lamps were lighted........The crude reds and greens and blues of that coloured glass held us there.  – Jim on the Methodist Church in winter

At the piano, he swayed in time to the music, and when he was not playing, his body kept up this motion, like an empty mill grinding on...... To hear him, to watch him, was to see a Negro enjoying himself as only a Negro can.  It was as if all the agreeable sensations possible to creatures of flesh and blood were heaped up on those black-and-white keys, and he were gloating over them and trickling them through his yellow fingers.  – Jim on Blind d’Arnault (sounds kind of like Stevie Wonder or Ray Charles)

When boys and girls are growing up, life can’t stand still, not even in the quietest of country towns; and they have to grow up, whether they will or no.  That is what their elders are always forgetting.  – Jim

Disapprobation hurt me, I found – even that of people whom I did not admire.  – Jim after his actions had disappointed his grandmother

–it is so necessary to be a little noble!  – Jim as he contemplated leaving Lena to pursue his education

The Hunger Games. Jenn, since you suggested the book it seems to me you should begin our "discussion".  Send me your comments via e-mail and I will create a new post for the blog!  But any of you that want to share your impressions on The Hunger Games please feel free to do so – whenever. Officially we have to the first Sunday in October and then we will be Reading The Hiding Place.

Love, 

Aunt Louise

PS For those of you who feel you can't remember well enough to comment as it's been a while since reading, I'm amazed that every book we've read so far has study helps and questions on-line for groups just like ours.