Kelly told me about The Hunger Games a few months ago because she read it and couldn't put it down. I have since heard about it from about dozen people and without exception they all liked it. So, of course, I thought I'd better read this book. I finished it in a day and a half and I have to agree, this book is compelling. I have a weak spot for dystopian-future novels so I may not be the most objective judge.
The main character, Katniss, is forced to be a participant in the annual Hunger Games. The Hunger Games are a fight to the death forced on the 12 districts by the Capitol to keep the people in line and remind them that any revolution will be quickly and brutally put down. The story exposes how different people either maintain or give up their humanity in the quest to win the Games and a life of riches. It also portrays the lack of human empathy that can come from the quest for entertainment.
All-in-all I found it a great story. Due to the subject matter you may want to save this for your older teenagers. The story does involve the deaths of 12-18 year old kids at the hands of other kids. It's not a shiny, happy story but it does have valuable lessons to teach.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
John Adams
The first time I read David McCullough's John Adams it was a borrowed book and the impulse to underline and annotate was so strong I had to return the book after only about 70 pages. I eventually came into a copy of my own and this has become one of my favorite biographies. John Adams has emerged as one of my favorite Founding Fathers. He was a temperamental, opinionated man who felt the fear of being a nobody. Of all the Founding Fathers he has felt the most near my own thoughts and desires to make a difference as well as a keen awareness of personal faults. He feels like a real person to me. I would love to meet him someday. I would strongly recommend this book for your high-schooler. The relationship between John and Abigail should go down in history as one of the most intimate of friendships.
Kelly and I also watched the HBO adaptation of the book. While we liked it (3 stars), be aware that there are several scenes that are inappropriate for kids including: a tarring and feathering of a naked man, a leg amputation, a highly amorous, clothed love scene when John and Abigail see each other for the first time after a long separation. We fast-forwarded the love scene because it was uncomfortable but I don't believe there was any nudity. I didn't think the HBO series was anywhere near as good as just reading the book. That sounds familiar, doesn't it?
Kelly and I also watched the HBO adaptation of the book. While we liked it (3 stars), be aware that there are several scenes that are inappropriate for kids including: a tarring and feathering of a naked man, a leg amputation, a highly amorous, clothed love scene when John and Abigail see each other for the first time after a long separation. We fast-forwarded the love scene because it was uncomfortable but I don't believe there was any nudity. I didn't think the HBO series was anywhere near as good as just reading the book. That sounds familiar, doesn't it?
Friday, January 15, 2010
The Candy Shop War
I read The Candy Shop War after reading the first book of Brandon Mull's Fablehaven series. Brandon is LDS and the stories are clean and good choices for the kids. This story follows 4 young kids and their new friendship with a candy shop owner who keeps a different class of candy in the back of the store. The owner gives the kids some candy that will endow them with different abilities in exchange for helping her with some tasks. They learn lessons about discernment, withstanding pressure from your friends and the consequences of bad decisions. The story and the characters are great fun!
One thing I like about Brandon Mull is that he puts a study guide at the back of his books and asks questions that make the family think about what they've learned from the story they read. This is a good book to read aloud together as a family.
One thing I like about Brandon Mull is that he puts a study guide at the back of his books and asks questions that make the family think about what they've learned from the story they read. This is a good book to read aloud together as a family.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
The Golden Compass
When it was first announced that a movie was being made based on The Golden Compass I saw a trailer that intrigued me and I thought that it would be something that I could watch with the kids. So, being a reader, I decided to check out the book. This was long before the controversy erupted about it being an anti-christian book. I can't honestly speak to that controversy because I was so distracted by the mediocrity of the writing and the complete lack of sympathetic or interesting characters that I couldn't even finish it. I found it boring and think that the author was so overly impressed with the world he had created that he forgot to create characters that had any depth beyond being declared a good guy or a bad guy. I know there are plenty of people out there who disagree with my assessment but I think there are plenty of books in the genre that are going to give you characters and stories that you will grow to love that there's no point in messing with this trilogy.
My Grandfather's Son
I read My Grandfather's Son, a memoir written by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and was so impressed by his life and the lessons that he pulled from his experiences that I ended up buying a copy. His grandfather had a powerful influence on Justice Thomas since he never knew his father. Justice Thomas' account is not a gauzy, trifle of a memoir. It is a clear-eyed account of his world growing up and I was really touched by his respect for a grandfather with whom he didn't always see eye-to-eye.
He does something that I greatly admire in biographies by discussing some of the unwise decisions he made in life. I love reading good biographies that I feel comfortable being able to share with my kids. I want to be able to pull stories from a biography that can provide my family with examples of good decisions that were difficult or showed wisdom, or bad decisions that were recognized and either corrected or repented of. This book provided both.
Because it deals with the Anita Hill incident there are historical accounts of some of the accusations that were leveled at Justice Thomas that would probably be inappropriate for younger kids. (Regarding that incident, it may go down as one of the most poisonous slanderings of an individual by cynical politicians in US history. It is shameful how it played out.)
He does something that I greatly admire in biographies by discussing some of the unwise decisions he made in life. I love reading good biographies that I feel comfortable being able to share with my kids. I want to be able to pull stories from a biography that can provide my family with examples of good decisions that were difficult or showed wisdom, or bad decisions that were recognized and either corrected or repented of. This book provided both.
Because it deals with the Anita Hill incident there are historical accounts of some of the accusations that were leveled at Justice Thomas that would probably be inappropriate for younger kids. (Regarding that incident, it may go down as one of the most poisonous slanderings of an individual by cynical politicians in US history. It is shameful how it played out.)
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Mrs. Tim books and others by D.E. Stevenson
Dorothy Emily Stevenson wrote about 40 books in the 1930s and 40s. Her first books were novels based on her own diaries as a military wife. They are sweet, funny little vignettes set in Scotland and England. There isn't so much a plot or a story to tell, as it is a little glimpse into life during that time period just prior to, during, and following WWII.
These books will take you to a world of small-town life and basically good people. You get people who are really happily married, have morals that they adhere to, and children that they love. The books are simple, one-day reads.
Mrs. Tim of the Regiment is the first of four Mrs. Tim books (the main character is Mrs. Hester Christie - her husband is Captain Tim Christie and she is always referred to as Mrs. Tim). Other books are set in the same locales and are usually about neighbors, or refer to people that are mentioned in other books. Thus, they are all sort of interconnected without actually being about the same people over and over again.
These books will take you to a world of small-town life and basically good people. You get people who are really happily married, have morals that they adhere to, and children that they love. The books are simple, one-day reads.
Mrs. Tim of the Regiment is the first of four Mrs. Tim books (the main character is Mrs. Hester Christie - her husband is Captain Tim Christie and she is always referred to as Mrs. Tim). Other books are set in the same locales and are usually about neighbors, or refer to people that are mentioned in other books. Thus, they are all sort of interconnected without actually being about the same people over and over again.
The Graveyard Book
Talk about a ghost story! I was a little concerned about the beginning. It starts off pretty creepy and intense. I put 8+, but I would preview it if your child is younger than 10.
This has a similar general plot to "The Jungle Book", about boy growing up in a Graveyard. A humorous cast of characters from different historical periods are Bod's (short for Nobody, his name) adopted family. I pretty much gobbled this book up in one sitting (shush, Mommy's reading). I don't want to give too much away, but I highly recommend this growing-up story!
This has a similar general plot to "The Jungle Book", about boy growing up in a Graveyard. A humorous cast of characters from different historical periods are Bod's (short for Nobody, his name) adopted family. I pretty much gobbled this book up in one sitting (shush, Mommy's reading). I don't want to give too much away, but I highly recommend this growing-up story!
Princess Ben
This book was a chance library grab. In general, I liked it. The plot was formulaic and predictable, but there are a couple things that made it different from other princess stories that makes it worth the read.
First, the main character, Princess Benevolence, is very real. She doesn't think she's a particular beauty, she's rather stout (chubby?), and she doesn't get along with the adult who's responsible for her. Pretty normal behavior.
Second, the adult that Princess Ben doesn't get along with doesn't have to be killed off, or put into jail. Instead, you find that the Princess Ben's perception of her has changed. The princess goes through a little journey of self-discovery and personal growth.
I thought the romantic part of the story was a little rushed at the end and not well done, but it was entirely appropriate for young adults and pre-teens. Nothing untoward here. In short, a simple, fairly enjoyable story for a young girl!
First, the main character, Princess Benevolence, is very real. She doesn't think she's a particular beauty, she's rather stout (chubby?), and she doesn't get along with the adult who's responsible for her. Pretty normal behavior.
Second, the adult that Princess Ben doesn't get along with doesn't have to be killed off, or put into jail. Instead, you find that the Princess Ben's perception of her has changed. The princess goes through a little journey of self-discovery and personal growth.
I thought the romantic part of the story was a little rushed at the end and not well done, but it was entirely appropriate for young adults and pre-teens. Nothing untoward here. In short, a simple, fairly enjoyable story for a young girl!
The Myth of the Robber Barons
This is another example of me finding one of Josh's book laying around and absconding with it.
It's a short book. I liked it. Some people might find it a bit dry. If you are at all interested in capitalism, American success stories, government intervention, or accurate history (as opposed to glossed-over history from school), you might want to give this book a try. You can probably read it in one sitting, although I spread it's few chapters out over the course of a week.
The Myth of the Robber Barons describes the role of key entrepreneurs in the economic growth of the United States from 1850 to 1910. The author, Burton Folsom, divides the entrepreneurs into two groups market entrepreneurs and political entrepreneurs. The market entrepreneurs, such as Hill, Vanderbilt, and Rockefeller, succeeded by producing a quality product at a competitive price. The political entrepreneurs such as Edward Collins in steamships and in railroads the leaders of the Union Pacific Railroad were men who used the power of government to succeed. They tried to gain subsidies, or in some way use government to stop competitors. The author also has a conclusion, in which he looks at the textbook bias on the subject of Robber Barons and the rise of the U. S. in the late 1800s. This chapter explores three leading college texts in U. S. history and shows how they misread American history and disparage market entrepreneurs instead of the political entrepreneurs.
Interesting stuff!
It's a short book. I liked it. Some people might find it a bit dry. If you are at all interested in capitalism, American success stories, government intervention, or accurate history (as opposed to glossed-over history from school), you might want to give this book a try. You can probably read it in one sitting, although I spread it's few chapters out over the course of a week.
The Myth of the Robber Barons describes the role of key entrepreneurs in the economic growth of the United States from 1850 to 1910. The author, Burton Folsom, divides the entrepreneurs into two groups market entrepreneurs and political entrepreneurs. The market entrepreneurs, such as Hill, Vanderbilt, and Rockefeller, succeeded by producing a quality product at a competitive price. The political entrepreneurs such as Edward Collins in steamships and in railroads the leaders of the Union Pacific Railroad were men who used the power of government to succeed. They tried to gain subsidies, or in some way use government to stop competitors. The author also has a conclusion, in which he looks at the textbook bias on the subject of Robber Barons and the rise of the U. S. in the late 1800s. This chapter explores three leading college texts in U. S. history and shows how they misread American history and disparage market entrepreneurs instead of the political entrepreneurs.
Interesting stuff!
How Capitalism Saved America
I found this book sitting on our bookshelves and picked it up just to see what it was.
I was pleasantly surprised! The author writes in a nice, flowing style. The information is not too intellectual to make reading difficult to understand. What interested me was the clarifying of all sorts of historical "myths" I had learned in school about the economic history of our country.
I've always loved history. This book gave me a better understanding of our country's economic past. I will probably re-read this book again in the future sometime to help me develop the vocabulary and understanding to be able to converse knowledgeably about economic policy in the modern political world.
I read it not too long after reading "The Myth of the Robber Barons" and while there was some overlap, the "Myth of the Robber Barons" really is a good book to read around the same time as it deals with a similar subject matter.
I was pleasantly surprised! The author writes in a nice, flowing style. The information is not too intellectual to make reading difficult to understand. What interested me was the clarifying of all sorts of historical "myths" I had learned in school about the economic history of our country.
I've always loved history. This book gave me a better understanding of our country's economic past. I will probably re-read this book again in the future sometime to help me develop the vocabulary and understanding to be able to converse knowledgeably about economic policy in the modern political world.
I read it not too long after reading "The Myth of the Robber Barons" and while there was some overlap, the "Myth of the Robber Barons" really is a good book to read around the same time as it deals with a similar subject matter.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Against Leviathan
Against Leviathan is a collection of essays written by Robert Higgs, an economist and lecturer. Mr. Higgs is one of my favorite writers. He is an advocate for individual liberty and constitutional government. Because this is a collection of essays it is the kind of book where you can read a chapter rather quickly and then go back to what you were doing. Some of my favorite essays include: 19 Neglected Consequences of Income Distribution, The Mythology of Roosevelt and the New Deal, Great Presidents?, and Beware the Pork Hawk.
Many of the essays would require some background in political philosophy and economics so it's probably best for high school kids or older.
Many of the essays would require some background in political philosophy and economics so it's probably best for high school kids or older.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Graceling
I liked Graceling, but it had some scenes that I would not want my child reading. Gracelings are people born with particular talents, whether it be cooking, holding your breath, fighting or any number of other superhuman skills. Katsa is a feared and respected Graceling for her talent to kill. She meets another Graceling who begins to challenge her perception of herself and they are put up against a ruler who may be able to kill them both.
There is a scene of premarital consensual sex that is neither explicit nor titillating but also not difficult to discern what happened. The main character, Katsa, also has no interest in marriage and that comes up frequently in the book. Also, the bad guy is a sociopath and his behavior is disturbing. Definitely not for children.
There is a scene of premarital consensual sex that is neither explicit nor titillating but also not difficult to discern what happened. The main character, Katsa, also has no interest in marriage and that comes up frequently in the book. Also, the bad guy is a sociopath and his behavior is disturbing. Definitely not for children.
The Magic Half
The Magic Half is a very quick read. It is the story of Miri who is the middle child stuck between two sets of twins. She feels un-special in comparison to her twin siblings who strike people as unique. While moping one day she finds herself sucked into the past and meets a girl her age who is in desperate need of her help. Now Miri just has to figure out how to help this girl and still be able to get back to her family.
I found this in the local bookstore. It was reviewed and recommended by one of the employees. I thought it was a fun little story but certainly not a classic. There is no particular lesson to be culled here, it's just a quick adventure. My 9 year-old daughter, Brynne, just read the book and she really liked it.
I found this in the local bookstore. It was reviewed and recommended by one of the employees. I thought it was a fun little story but certainly not a classic. There is no particular lesson to be culled here, it's just a quick adventure. My 9 year-old daughter, Brynne, just read the book and she really liked it.
Alas, Babylon
I recently reread Alas, Babylon for the second time and I liked it even more the second time around. It is the story of a small town in Florida and what happens after a nuclear holocaust. Too many of the post-apocalyptic authors make these scenarios into a purely anarcho-hedonistic society, but Pat Frank (pseudonym for journalist Harry Hart) wrote this in the 1950's when nuclear annihilation was a real concern and he shows an underlying faith in humanity's ability to fight for the things that define civilization.
It is an easy read. It took me about two days and I have added it to my Personal Classics list. Because of the nature of the subject and some scenes in the book I would recommend this for 16 and older.
It is an easy read. It took me about two days and I have added it to my Personal Classics list. Because of the nature of the subject and some scenes in the book I would recommend this for 16 and older.
Carry On, Mr Bowditch
Carry On, Mr Bowditch is another great read-aloud book for the family. Nathaniel Bowditch was a navigational whiz in the 18th century. His story is one of determined self-study and a desire to live a life of excellence. His nautical writings became a sailor's bible as he went through the existing nautical information and corrected long-existing errors. There are many great lessons to be pulled from this story and it could lead to some great discussions as a family.
I read this because Kelly and the kids had read it and they told me how much they liked it. It took me a year or so before I finally got around to it and I wish I had tackled it sooner. It is another family classic for us.
I read this because Kelly and the kids had read it and they told me how much they liked it. It took me a year or so before I finally got around to it and I wish I had tackled it sooner. It is another family classic for us.
Little Britches:Father and I Were Ranchers
Little Britches is one of our family classics. We absolutely love and adore this book. Ralph Moody has taken his childhood and, in the tradition of the Laura Ingalls Wilder, given us a fantastic glimpse of life in the pioneer west. The lessons that he learns from his mom and dad are timeless and wholesome. The life lessons that the book teaches are the kind you can come back to repeatedly. It is at times laugh out loud funny and other times heart-wrenchingly sad, but never boring.
This is a great read-aloud book for the whole family. There are several more books in the set but we haven't read them all as a family so I can't tell you if they are the same quality as Little Britches.
This is a great read-aloud book for the whole family. There are several more books in the set but we haven't read them all as a family so I can't tell you if they are the same quality as Little Britches.
When You Reach Me
When You Reach Me pays direct homage to Madeleine L'engle's "A Wrinkle in Time". It is a quick read and a simple story that involves middle school kids. The main character, Miranda, begins to receive mysterious notes that appear to be preparing her for something that will take place in the future. The author of the notes is attempting to elicit her help in doing one thing and it seems like an odd request.
The story takes place in New York City and some of the surrounding characters are strange but there isn't anything particularly disturbing. One character, a homeless man, appears to be mentally unstable but doesn't do anything that would frighten a young reader.
I enjoyed the story. It's not a classic in the sense that I would take it with me to an island but it's a 3 star time-filler read if your child is looking for something to read.
The story takes place in New York City and some of the surrounding characters are strange but there isn't anything particularly disturbing. One character, a homeless man, appears to be mentally unstable but doesn't do anything that would frighten a young reader.
I enjoyed the story. It's not a classic in the sense that I would take it with me to an island but it's a 3 star time-filler read if your child is looking for something to read.
Invitation
I was talking to Rachel Whoolery (Richardson) the other day and she and I were sharing ideas for our kids' reading when we hit upon the idea of creating a blog where we can write reviews of the books we're reading and who they might be appropriate for. I realize that there are sites like Goodreads where you can do this also, but I thought this might be more fun to do as a family.
When you post, please put the title of the book in the Title field of your post. Also, please put in the Label field and age that you believe it would be appropriate for. (eg. put in 11+ or 15+ or adult or post-baptism or post mission or whatever description) Feel free to put in multiple descriptions in the Label field. You can put in the genre, whether it's fiction or non-fiction, etc.
I'll be putting in the labels the number of stars I would give the book by simply putting **** for a 4 star book for example. Then people can click on the **** label on the left side of the page and pull up all the books that we have labeled 4 stars. As a general rule-of-thumb *=Hated it, **=Didn't Like It, ***=It Was Okay, ****=Liked It, *****=Loved It. I would imagine that most books we read would probably fall into the 2-4 range. I have also made it possible to put your own rating on a book you've read that has a review on the website. Under the post you can click on how many stars you would give it. However, feel free to post your own review of the book.
Don't hesitate to enter your own review of a book even if you see someone else has. You may have a different opinion of the book and/or who it's appropriate for.
This site could provide for a great place to go to for reading ideas. I'm looking forward to this and I hope we can make this work.
This site will be viewable by invitation only. I would like to limit it to people whose values we share so for the time being it will just be Richardsons. We could always talk about changing that in the future.
Josh
When you post, please put the title of the book in the Title field of your post. Also, please put in the Label field and age that you believe it would be appropriate for. (eg. put in 11+ or 15+ or adult or post-baptism or post mission or whatever description) Feel free to put in multiple descriptions in the Label field. You can put in the genre, whether it's fiction or non-fiction, etc.
I'll be putting in the labels the number of stars I would give the book by simply putting **** for a 4 star book for example. Then people can click on the **** label on the left side of the page and pull up all the books that we have labeled 4 stars. As a general rule-of-thumb *=Hated it, **=Didn't Like It, ***=It Was Okay, ****=Liked It, *****=Loved It. I would imagine that most books we read would probably fall into the 2-4 range. I have also made it possible to put your own rating on a book you've read that has a review on the website. Under the post you can click on how many stars you would give it. However, feel free to post your own review of the book.
Don't hesitate to enter your own review of a book even if you see someone else has. You may have a different opinion of the book and/or who it's appropriate for.
This site could provide for a great place to go to for reading ideas. I'm looking forward to this and I hope we can make this work.
This site will be viewable by invitation only. I would like to limit it to people whose values we share so for the time being it will just be Richardsons. We could always talk about changing that in the future.
Josh
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