What I Read - January 2019

Reading Notes - In a previous post I mentioned wanting to try and finish up some of the books that I've started.  I succeeded in finishing two books that had been dragging on for a few months, but at the same time I also started more books.  Well, these things happen.

Traveling With Pomegranates by Sue Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor

This was an unfinished 2018 book that I managed to finish.

In hindsight, I can understand the framework for this non-fiction dual-author work significantly better if I look at it through the slightly magical lens of Kidd's previous work - The Secret Life of Bees.  Initially I found myself fascinated by the divine feminist perspective she and her daughter held, and drawn in to the story of Ann's descent into depression following a painful graduate school rejection letter, but the tale quickly became somewhat convoluted.  The further in we got, the more cerebral the story became, until it seemed to almost entirely be acted out in the imaginations of the two women.  From a faith perspective, it bothered me that near the end what had been seen as a particular affinity to the Virgin Mary was turned into the women praying TO Mary, changing marriage ceremony words to talk about God the mother, and eventually referring to a person as a 'savior'.  This being said, I actually did enjoy vast swathes of the story!  And certainly if accurate depictions of Christian worship are of no importance to you then you will probably be less bothered by the inaccuracies.

I suppose I was a little disappointed by the fact that it is hard to find excellent Christian female writing about the strength of women within the Christian faith.  But then, maybe this isn't meant to be that.  Maybe this is just meant to be a book about writing a book, and coming to grips with your inability to get everything you want in life, and how to change from one season of living to another.  But even seen through those filters, the book seemed ultimately somewhat unfulfilling.  Ann's deep, deep love for Greek history which leads her to want to devote her entire life to studying it - she applies to one graduate program, is rejected, and promptly falls into a deep, deep depression.  That simply seems illogical to me.  Apply to another program!  Do you love it or not?  Why on earth did you only apply to one graduate school program in the field you loved more than anything?!

So much of the story seems to hinge around dreams people have.  Someone dreams of an owl, and an owl is a symbol of Athena, and then that ties so nicely into the fact that Athena is a strong woman, and we're right back to strong women in ancient Greece.  Sigh.  It was all a bit circuitous for me.

Discipline: The Glad Surrender - Elizabeth Elliott

This was an unfinished 2018 title.

Elliott is an excellent Christian author who really gets to the heart of her subject.  In this book she very clearly outlined the areas of life where we need to allow God's authority, and what exactly that looks like.  Her examples are relevant and useful, her writing is simple, straightforward and elegant, and her understanding of her topic is spot on.

As Chimney Sweepers Come To Dust - Alan Bradley

The 7th in the Flavia De Luce Mysteries

Always a good mystery.  Flavia is in Canada!  Yay!

The Happiness Project - Gretchin Rubin

Possibly my fourth time reading this one?  Rubin has such an orderly mind.  It is both fascinating and intimidating to read her.  Also, CAN you become happier?  Is it scientifically possible?  Interesting.

Great Tales From English History - Robert Lacey

Book 1 of 2

I didn't realize this was actually the first of two volumes by Lacey chronicling some of the more colourful characters in English history, but I had so. many. English. history. books. I just had to read at least one of them for goodness' sake.  So I grabbed this one.  It was fantastic!  I mean, it wouldn't be a particularly helpful book to teach history with, nor would it be useful if you wanted to get beyond a very basic understanding of some of the monarchs, churchmen and lay folk he looks at, but for what it was, it was perfect.  Lacey mentions Our Island Story by H.E. Marshall, which is along the same lines as a book we're currently reading in homeschool - A Child's History of the World.  And Lacey's book is a grown up version of exactly this sort of book.  Short, pithy independent chapters that show links between individuals and help the reader draw their own conclusions.  I will be keeping it on my shelf for when my own students get into reading history.