Literary Considerations: The Element of Coziness

 What is the Essence of "Coziness"?

In the winter of 2024, I decided to pick up a collection of stories under the title of A Year in Brambly Hedge. I had heard of these children's books at some point over the years, and decided to check it out on a whim. The result is that, while my life hasn't changed in any appreciable way just to look at it, this book led me to the conviction that, if I ever am to actually write a work of fiction, it must include some element of coziness in it.

And what is "coziness"? I plan to explore the topic here, looking not at books that I crave when I'm stressed, but at the elements that I've distilled from reading books that have a recognizable ambience of coziness.

Space and Physical Features

Warm, Firelit Location

One of the first elements that comes to mind when I think "cozy" is that the setting has to be warm. One simply cannot have a cozy gathering in a drafty, damp area. Warmth of a cozy sort is almost, of a necessity, created by a fire, and best of all if there is coolness or wetness without. A good, warm autumn day celebrating a homecoming at the end of a Redwall story isn't really a cozy setting, even though it may be a festive one. Rather, coziness may be found at Redwall in Cavern Hole, which, especially during winter months, is typically described as containing a large fire.

Light and Color

Speaking of fire, the light associated with cozy spaces is also important. A yellow or orange glow - literal "warm" light - is a must. The early books of the "Mitford" series feature Fr. Timothy looking longingly across the yard to see the windows of his neighbor's house, which is lit from within by a warm light - I imagine the windows aglow with panes of a honey-hued yellow. Other objects included in the scene should also incorporate warm colors. Cozy spaces in literature typically are described at night, in keeping with the need for a good fire. Here, the darkness of the night brings into relief the strength of the warm colors inside.

Small Area

A cozy area is a small area. The sense of being shoulder to shoulder with neighbors, or even being tucked into a smaller space, such as a comfortable armchair, adds to the sense of comfort. The space need not be packed, but there needs to be some definition to the space. A vast hall fading into dark, unseen recesses does NOT create a homey atmosphere. The "Brambly Hedge" books have some illustrations that demonstrate good, small, firelit spaces.

Vittles

Food: A Sense of Abundance

One cannot be properly cozy without being properly fed. Coziness would never happen on a stomach that isn't full and content. Most descriptions of cozy places are accompanied by descriptions of the food available to the characters in the scene. While a sense of abundance is important, I would argue that "abundance" is not a completely physical reality. A poor family could still provide a cozy feast so long as there is enough food for everyone to eat without feeling concerned about stinting on portions or going to bed slightly hungry. They may not have enough for eating like this every day, but they can provide a fine meal for their guest at least tonight.

Food: Simple but Filling Fare

And, on the topic of food: it's not unusual for the board to be of simple yet hearty options. Basic breads, plain fruits and cheeses, and soups and stews come to mind. There may be tea treats, but one would not expect the fanciful flights of fine cooking. Brian Jacques' Redwall descriptions of the food in Cavern Hole typically lean in this direction.

Hot Drinks

Is it possible to have a cozy scene without a nice warm beverage? Yes, but it is rare. Mulled cider, warmed punch, tea, coffee, or even hot chocolate would be appropriate in such a setting.

Other Considerations

Time of Year

I suppose cozy spaces can exist anywhere and at any time, but "coziness" is the property especially of the fall and winter seasons. Again, the presence of a fire makes coziness less of a thing in the heat of summer - after all, many people are trying to find the cool places in their homes at that time of year. A very cozy scene early in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe features Lucy joining the faun Tumnus for some tea during the winter that has lasted for a hundred years.

Textiles and Textures

A cozy place is replete with comfortable, nonsynthetic fabrics and natural materials such as wood, wax, clay, or stone. The character would not be drinking their coffee from a disposable cup while sitting on a molded chair at a formica countertop; rather, they would likely lounge in a goose-feather overstuffed wingchair of a homely, worn design, an earthenware pipe in mouth, china teacup on the wooden end table, and a fire roaring in the stone or brick hearth.

Hospitality and Solitude

The welcome extended to a friend or stranger is a necessary part of the charm of a cozy place. Brian Jacques does a great job of inviting readers to "visit" Redwall again at the end of almost every book, and this sort of "so grateful you've come, please return someday!" sentiment makes coziness what it is. Now, there is a certain element of solitude that also seems necessary at times; for the quiet reader, solitude indeed makes sense. However, I would posit that coziness is an atmosphere in which others, if they should join, would be made welcome.

Domestic Activities

The practice of domestic activities can also contribute to a cozy atmosphere, specifically if they are related to old-timey food preparations and animal husbandry. Consider the "Little House on the Prairie" series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The Ingalls family works hard on the farm, but daily chores like baking pies, preserving jams, milking cows, feeding chickens, and darning socks somehow focus the reader into a comforting rhythm of work and rest that feels cozy. Sitting by the fire at the end of the day is all the more restful because it has been preceded by hard labor that warrants rest.

Peace and Quiet

These last elements may be the most important of all. If there is no peace in the hearts of those in the household, coziness will not be present. Additionally, the volume of activities taking place cannot be so great as to disturb the sense of peace. Conversation may carry on, and children may place, or the dog worry at its bone, but raucous laughter, screaming, and barking would violate the peace of the cozy environment.

In a Word: Comfort

In his book Bilbo's Journey, Joseph Pearce shows that Bilbo and Smaug are similar in that they are both greedy for comfort - the dragon through the comfort of riches, but Bilbo through the comforts of home. He is reluctant to give up the comforts of his hobbit hole, whether to share food with guests or to leave it for a time for an adventure. He spend much of his journey longing for the coziness of his home.

When we linger in the coziness of a story, we too are enjoying comfort. When a book calls us to read it on a rainy day from the covers of blankets, we are seeking a physical and emotional warmth. While we, too, are in danger of becoming overly attached to these comforts, it is still important that at least some stories include cozy elements. Theology of Home, by Carrie Gress and Noelle Mering, has a great takeaway that I've carried with me since I first read it: every time we long for a house that is beautiful and lovely and everything we want it to be, we must remember that we are longing for Heaven. We have to keep our final home in mind and not be obsessed with our earthly home. The same can be said for coziness. Coziness isn't everything we should seek in this life, but its appearance in the books we read can be a device that is constantly pointing us toward our ultimate end.

Bandersnatch and Collaboration Ideas

How to Capitalize on the Ideas in Glyer's Bandersnatch

I recently read a book called Bandersnatch, by Diana Pavlac Glyer, and it ended up being the best book I read that month. The book is academic but accessible, practical but open-ended. As someone who has creative aspirations - and, more especially, has friends who would like to work creative muscles - I thought this book could be a helpful guide. Bandersnatch had ideas for creating one-time events as well as regularly planned sessions to encourage creativity.

Takeaways from the Book

Here, I've tried to summarize the summaries that Glyer included at the end of each chapter. I also drew some ideas from the longer chapter texts. My hope is that I've summarized the ideas succinctly enough to not violate copyright. I read this work in ebook format, so I've included the page numbers that were indicated by my Kindle.

1) "Creativity itself is a messy business." (p. 25). It's okay for the process of writing and editing to be full of twists and turns.

2) Great groups might be small and meet in various locations. Sometimes meetings are formal, sometimes they're unplanned. Meet regularly and try to have a structure. (p. 46) Stay focused on your purpose, whether it be writing and critiquing, airing suggestions, or just providing support and encouragement. (p. 195)

3) Be encouraging! Yes, back the project, but also help create an environment in which writing and creativity can take place. (p. 72) This can include taking practical steps for a friend. Support projects with editing, but also with spawning project ideas and reflecting on and celebrating the completed works. (p. 198)

4) We work individually and can have great ideas individually, but our craft can also be greatly refined and complemented by the ideas of others. (p. 191) It's good to have common ground as well as differing perspectives within the group, even though different ideas will likely spark conflict. Correction can be important in the creative process, but it cannot be too harsh or untempered by encouraging, positive comments. (pp. 94-5)

5) Give specific, creative feedback rather than general statements, such as reductions in specific places, placement of sentences, word choice, etc. Seek feedback sooner rather than later. Be open to making changes, but know that the author has the ultimate right to accept and use or reject feedback. (p. 127, 199) Know the difference between not liking something personally and recognizing something is subpar. (pp. 198-9) It's alright to get individual feedback for some things, rather than going to the group (p. 201) 

6) Collaborate! Ideas for projects and writings can spring up in a variety of activities and look nothing like formal collaboration. Don't be afraid to try out a joint project with someone (or several people). (pp. 151-2) Consider being part of multiple creative groups (p. 200), or even consider writing about the people in your creative group (p. 174)

7) On the Inklings finding time: "Yes, we are busy, but then, so were they." ( p. 196) Being in touch helps keep the momentum going.

Regular Meetings

If I were to plan regularly scheduled creativity meetings for my creative group, this is the blueprint I would develop based on the suggestions of Bandersnatch.

First, I would schedule to have regular meetings, once a month, at a minimum. This might not be as frequent as it needs to be to maintain creative momentum, but I fear that scheduling something more regularly, such as every other week, might seem like too much to fit into a packed schedule. Besides, it's easier to mark something like "last Tuesday of the month" on a calendar instead of "every other Wednesday". Ideally, the meeting would begin with a meal and extend through several hours.

The attendees would be those of a certain friend group of creatives. Others could potentially be added on, but the person desiring their attendance must ask permission of the group first. The person to be added would have to be a good friend, as these meetings would likely require a level of vulnerability of its members. Once members are approved, they are encouraged but not required to attend every meeting, with the understanding that attendance is key to maintaining momentum. More flexibility in this area could be accommodated by more frequent meetings.

A potential schedule could look something like this:

6:00 p.m.: Grace said and meal begins, members socialize and catch up; if no meal, snacks and drinks acquired

6:45 p.m.: Dishes cleared, drinks refilled, and group assembles in discussion area

6:50 p.m.: Prayer for the group and God's peace to be present

7:00-9:00 p.m.: Discussion begins of creative works and picking of goals or assignments

9:15 p.m.: Ending prayer and folks head back home (flexible end time, depending on who is hosting and the day of the week)

The 7-9 p.m. slot would probably have a more detailed structure. It would include presentation of work, critical and encouraging feedback, and choosing of the goal for the next session. Next, after people presented the works they'd brought, there could be time for brainstorming if people need something to get them started, collaborative work, more detailed feedback or one-on-one discussions. Troubleshooting barriers to creativity and requests for prayer could be brought up as well. It would be good to celebrate successes and reflect upon them at the end, if they have not come up throughout.

The only accountability would be, if someone misses a monthly session or does not complete the assignment, they are allowed to give only limited feedback - one piece of feedback per piece presented. The person who misses a monthly session will be limited upon their next attendance. I would lean towards no leniency in this matter if only to encourage people to push themselves to meet their goals. Besides, if no one had anything, what would there be to discuss?

One-Time Event: The Writers Retreat

Bandersnatch also gave me some ideas about how to structure a Writers Retreat, an event idea I've tossed around with a friend several times. If the retreat spans two to three days, it might look something like this:

Day 1 (Just an evening, after dinner)

Get settled in rooms. Leave phone in room as much as possible throughout.

Gather in meeting space

Brief opening prayer

Introductory speech explaining the schedule (on handout) as well as remarks about creativity and the purpose of this retreat (to create, socialize, recharge, and especially, to place our works in God's hands)

Socialization, focused on eating snacks and discussing the creative work(s) we want to tackle this retreat (writing, art, craft, trying out something new)

Evening prayer in chapel

Bed

Day 2

Mass, breakfast

Gather in meeting space; pray

Discuss goal for the morning

Dismissed to work on creative endeavors (3 hours)

Lunch: discussion of how things are going, discussing challenges, good moments, but not revealing too much!

Post-lunch prayer and short talk

Continuation of creative endeavors (1 to 1.5 hours only)

Game time! Some variety of board game (different way to stimulate creativity)

Games and socialization until dinner time

Dinner

Rosary

Keynote talk

Half hour of reflection or down time

Walk around the grounds (walking tour)

Day 3

Mass, breakfast

Gather in meeting space; pray

Discuss goal for the morning

Dismissed to work on creative endeavors (only 1-2 hours), working to finish up

Lunch

Presentation of creative projects or parts of projects that people have worked on throughout the weekend

Final (brief) talk

Pray, dismiss

Action Items

Sometimes, a blog post is a nice mental exercise. However, this is the sort of post that needs to have follow up. I'm going to send this to one friend, but also float the idea of a writers retreat by other friends again, and also see if there'd be interest in a regularly-meeting creative group. I'm not sure I'm ready to commit to it myself, but it might be something I gain more excitement for if other people are interested in it. However, what I feel most convicted about is the need to pray about what to do. Prayer first, discussion later.

June Book Bracket 2025

 Book Bracket June 2025

What a month for books! My record of 16 forced me to create a new design for my bracket templates. Instead of listening to audiobooks all month, I read just over half my books, either physically or as ebooks. It helps being on a summer schedule, having access to many free books either via the library or Audible, and having a deadline in which to access those books.

In the House of Tom Bombadil, by C. R. Wiley

A pastor reflects on a strange, seemingly incompatible character in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, named Tom Bombadil.

Why I picked it up: I came across this book somewhere and definitely decided that I needed to read it. A friend happened to own it and loaned it to me.

My impressions: This book draws no definitive conclusions on who Tom Bombadil is or what he represents in the story, but the author provides some strong leads to consider, such as Tom's singing, the concepts of mastery and being caught, and domestication. I enjoyed the author showing his love for Tolkien's work by pulling widely and wisely from other sources to make connections with seemingly unimportant elements. This book makes me wish I was a closer reader of texts so that I could pick up on little literary crumbs myself, but I also wished that Wiley had made claims a little bit bolder. I can see how the themes or ideas he connects with Tom make sense, but Wiley didn't help me understand who Tom actually is. Tom can certainly represent happy endings, good domestication, and mastery, but we still haven't come any closer to realizing what sort of being Tom is, which I think any reader who's wondered about Tom wants to know. As much as Tom Bombadil may be a metaphor, he is very much a living, breathing character within the story, and I want to categorize him in my box. Maybe we're not supposed to understand who he is, ever - and that's part of his allure. In any case, this is a quick read and a good one for anyone who's ever pondered the strange fellow with (of all things) yellow boots, but certainly needs to be read only after one has read The Fellowship of the Ring.

I found a quote I liked - of course, it was in the introduction!

"While allegories can artlessly shove meanings beneath our noses, there is no such thing as a story without some kind of morality running through it. And when it comes to fairy stories, the morality very often doesn't hide at all." - Wiley, xiii

Shadows and Chivalry: C. S. Lewis and George MacDonald on Suffering, Evil and Goodness, by Jeff McInnis**

A scholar considers the connection between the thought of Lewis and his literary mentor, MacDonald, as explored through their publications.

Why I picked it up: This had landed on my to-read list and was available for free through Audible. I'd actually put it down for about half a year, but then came back to it when I saw it was still accessible.

My impressions: This academic work dives deeply into the thoughts and writings of Lewis and MacDonald, exploring the similarities and differences in their thoughts, as reflected in their writings. It is probably not the sort of book one would read or listen to to relax, considering all the research that this work dives into, but it provides good information about the ties connecting these two authors. I probably appreciated some parts more because they referred to works I'd already read, while some section considered works (especially by MacDonald) that I've never read, and likely will not, at least any time soon. However, my lack of familiarity with those works did not prevent me from understanding the author or the ideas he was trying to support through referencing the original texts. I certainly feel like I understand some of the disjointed strangeness of Phantastes better now than I did when I first read it five years ago. The first part did get kind of gloomy, particularly when discussing Lewis' poetic publications right after WWI and MacDonald's family losses. This is a good book for those interested in learning more about George MacDonald and his influence on C. S. Lewis, as well as Lewis' engagement with the ideas expressed in MacDonald's writing, but readers will do well to know that this book, as a work of literary criticism, definitely has an academic focus.

Queen of the Sea, by Dylan Meconis

This alternative history graphic novel, set in a different version of England in the tumultuous years when Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary, in which young Margaret, who lives on a small island of nuns, becomes more involved in the political plots of he time.

Why I picked it up: A few years ago, I asked a Facebook group about a graphic novel they would recommend I read (for the public library's summer bingo, which ended up not impressing me). This was one of the books that sounded interesting, and I decided it would be one of the books to meet my own personal reading challenge.

My impressions: The art was well done in this book, and I thought there was a good mix of plain, agrarian life and political intrigue. It was interesting and kind of strange to see a graphic novel make a sort-of-Catholic world, with references to saints and religious orders, but all with different names. Even the title (Queen of the Sea) reminded me of the Marian title "Stella Maris," or "Star of the Sea"). I'm not quite to sure what to do with that. The book is pretty large and hefty, but it's not too slow of read because the pictures take up much of the space. I'd say this book is creative and pretty interesting, but I'm not sure that it's one I'd just recommend - I enjoyed it to a degree, but it wasn't a book I'd be likely to tell people they need in their lives. If someone did think an alternative-history-graphic-novel work was just their cup of tea, middle through high-school aged kids could probably read this work, no problem.

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory, by Matthew Kelly

This book, in the style of other 33-day consecrations, prepares readers to consecrate themselves to Jesus in the Eucharist

Why I picked it up: My husband and I went to a local Catholic conference last year, and we were given this book from one of the booths.

My impressions: This book provides some good reflections on the Eucharist and Jesus' importance in our lives in a pretty easy read. I think it was fitting that a book like this should be written during the 3-year Eucharistic Revival happening in our country. It' not the most in-depth book of meditations, but it was set up with good structure and reflections to try to help readers to love Jesus even more. This book is set up so that there's a 3-6 page reflection for each day, so upper elementary and above could probably gain something from reading this book.

Heidi, by Johanna Spyri

An orphan grows to love her mountain life with her grandfather and the goats, and after a stint in the big city, gets to share her idyllic, pastoral life with friends she made while away.

Why I picked it up: I picked this book to fulfill a requirement for a reading challenge I'd made. This one came to mind because it's come up in a few audiobooks I've listened to over the last year that reference it.

My impressions: I think I recalled enjoying reading this book to a degree when I was young, but there's also a reason I haven't reread it. I loved the food descriptions - it made goats milk sound so delicious, even though I doubt I'd like it. There is something sweet about the vivacity with which Heidi takes on life, and a pretty interesting segment in the middle when it comes to light that not all is well with her. However, the book is rather lacking in plot, comes across as a bit saccharine, and has some pretty static characters. Now, I can see where this book has some charm to it; I would not mind visiting the Swiss Alps myself after having read this book. This is book is just fine for elementary age kids to read, but I think that there are much better classics out there to be sampled.

The Explorer, by Katherine Rundell

Four kids find themselves stranded in the Amazon jungle after their pilot dies mid-flight, and have to find a way back to civilization - either with or without help from someone who may have passed that way a long time ago.

Why I picked it up: I think I may have come across this book when I was checking if there was a sequel to Impossible Creatures out yet, and if so, if it was at the library.

My impressions: This survival tale had some intriguing elements, including considering the possibilities of finding a lost ancient city in the Amazon rainforest, but it lacked something in its feel compared with many other similar stories I've read. I'd say it lacked the charm of other survival tales, but I know that's not the right word.. It took me a while to get oriented to the fact that this story took place not too long after World War II - there were clues, but nothing definitive for a good chunk of the book. Once again, I found that the author's writing style - specifically, her use of metaphoric language to describe characters' emotions or physical feelings - didn't work for me. She does a nice job exploring (haha) ideas of discovery and what is "best" for a place and doesn't sound preachy doing it. Some of the kids either are stated using swear words (without the actual words being written out), and once or twice, a milder British swear word is included. There's way too much description of a character's snot. But, on the flip side, there are moments when we see children facing consequences for not obeying or respecting boundaries put in place by adults. There are some exciting bits and lots of survival learning moments, but I think the concluding pages were the best and helped conclude the story in a fitting way. This book was alright, and not one I'd actively tell people to go check out, but upper elementary and middle school-aged readers could give this one a try.

Dreams and Images: An Anthology of Catholic Poets, Compiled and Edited by Joyce Kilmer

This is a selection of poems from Catholic poets.

Why I picked it up: This book came from the library of a relative who was giving away her collection. It had been a while since I'd read poetry.

My impressions: I think it's good to sit down and read poetry once in a while, and it had been far too long since I had; however, I'm not sure about the merits of this particular collection. There were a few poems that certainly did touch my heart in that poignant way that poetry does, and I even wrote down a few for myself to revisit later. However, many of the poems didn't do much for me. So many were about Ireland and Irish lore. I didn't have any context regarding the poets and their time - not that it is necessary for the appreciation of poetry, but there were a few moments when I thought that such background information could have been helpful. There were some names I recognized such as Francis Thompson and Gerard Manley Hopkins, but Belloc and Chesterton were not included in this collection. I don't know why these poets were picked, and the criteria for including the poems listed here, which had me wondering if it was just the personal preference of the compiler. There was a major downside with this volume - there were typos galore, specifically many punctuation marks included extraneously and single letter substitutions. These typos sometimes really distracted me from the poem itself, which was unfortunate. I think this is a wide-reaching sampler of Catholic poems, but I don't know that it has enough merit in itself to recommend over other collections of Catholic poetry.

Premeditated Myrtle, by Elizabeth C. Bunce**

Adolescent Myrtle is convinced her elderly neighbor did not die of natural causes in her bathtub - and takes on solving the mystery in spite of Victorian restrictions for girls of fine breeding.

Why I picked it up: I congratulated myself on not buying this book cheaply at a book fair once, since I don't need more books, but I've been curious about it ever since. It was available on Audible.

My impressions: This is a great murder mystery story for slightly more mature children. I loved the characters and the Victorian setting, as well as the excellent mystery storyline. I was able to put some pieces together along the way, but it took to pretty close to the end of the story for me to figure out who did it - then again, I'm not a very perceptive reader (my husband always can tell what's going to happen in movies before I do). I like the spunky main character, who is precocious and pushes against the restraints of her time period without being a pushy girl-power type. She has that precocious personality and it is simply her. On the downside, the main character made a comment about knowing what "young hussy" meant even though she wasn't supposed to; super mild, but something a young reader might be interested in looking up at that point.  Younger kids and more sensitive types might not find this book is their cup of tea (see: MURDER, heavy focus on death), but upper elementary readers, as well as adults who miss having new Sherlock Holmes mysteries to read, would find this enjoyable. It looks like there are some sequels, so I might look into it the next time I need a murder mystery.

Give Your Child the World, by Jamie C. Martin**

A woman with a passion for learning and caring about people all over the world shares strategies and books for introducing children to people and cultures the world over.

Why I picked it up: This one was on the to-read list and free on Audible.

My impressions: This is a great guide for people who have a real passion for teaching their children to know and love people and cultures from places where they don't live; however, I don't have that passion. I certainly believe we should care about the well-being of everyone, and that there's so much to gain from reading about people who live in different parts of the world. I just don't think that global consciousness is something that will be as big a part of our family culture as it is for the author's family. I appreciate that she breaks down books for different age groups and gives a brief description of what can be found in the books she includes - which span fiction and nonfiction. I found it interesting that she drew attention to individual books discussing religious beliefs, because while I can see the benefit of doing so if parents want to be conscientious about introducing different belief systems to their children, it's also kind of intuitive that books about different cultures might discuss religious beliefs of people who live in those places. I think the "concerned parent" part of me (even though I'm not a parent yet) says, "Thank you!" But the readaholic part of me also raised an eyebrow internally (since I can't lift a single eyebrow physically) and thought that it was maybe a little much to include that indicator, since it seemed like at least half the books mentioned discussed religion or religious elements. I think there was a pretty good mix of content for each continent, but, at least as far as North American literature goes, I thought there could have been more stories from Alaska and Hawaii (I don't recall there being any from those regions). At least one title that I thought should have been included was missing (Call in Courage, by Armstrong Sperry), but I recognize that, in a world full of books, you can't review and include every single one that relates to this theme. This book is probably a resource best consulted in physical form, but it could be a good reference for children as well as caring adults. I got a few reading ideas from this, too!

Zeely, by Virginia Hamilton**

In this coming of age story, Elizabeth and her brother goes to their Uncle Ross' for the summer, where her active imagination builds a royal background for Zeely, the tall daughter of her uncle's neighbor.

Why I picked it up: This book made it onto my to-read list after I came across it in a recommended list, possibly the book Honey for a Child's Heart. It was available on Audible for free.

My impressions: Not a lot happens in this summertime story, but it has some elements that shine. I struggle with books that don't have a lot going on in the way of plot, so this book wasn't my favorite, but I loved how the children and their imaginative games are described. They seemed so true to life! Their sibling relationship also felt extremely realistic in the fact that they didn't always understand each other or get along all the time, but they still loved each other and liked spending time together. There's a good message about being who you're meant to be rather than dreaming you're someone else, but you're not hit over the head with it - there's a slow build to this realization at the end. There's also a subtle reminder to not let your imagination become more real to you than real life. The level of obsession that the main character has with Zeely was also uncomfortable at times. I guess I was that way with the things I was obsessed with in middle school, but it was usually obsessions with music and stories and made up characters, not next door neighbors. It's refreshing to have a story about African Americans that isn't focused on race-related issues (I say that because it's important for all readers to read about people who look like them having experiences that are common to all people, and not defined exclusively by the evils of racism). It's not a book that I'd plan to reread, but I think it would be a fine summer read for upper elementary students.

Rules, by Cynthia Lord**

Catherine tries to help her autistic brother, David, navigate the world by teaching him rules that aren't intuitive to him, but she struggles to navigate friendships within her own life.

Why I picked it up: I heard this was a great book to read for getting a perspective on what life might be like for someone with autism. It turns out that the main character isn't autistic, but she's the sibling of someone who is. It was available on Audible, and I decided to try it, even though I wasn't the biggest fan of one of the author's other works, Out of My Mind. 

My impressions: This well-written story is a great window for people to learn what life might look like if someone in your family has autism. Catherine sounded like a real girl with real problems, hopes, and dreams. She experiences a lot of development and learns much about friendship - how to be a friend, as well as how to accept people as they are. As an SLP, I did have some professional insight into the story's action as well - for example, Catherine was a better SLP for her friend Jason than the speech therapist was - and I really disliked that SLP, who serves as a reminder to beware! lest I become like her. I found her parents were characterized as basically being clueless about her needs, which I found rather unrealistic, even if it made her narrative more compelling. I was bothered that they never seemed to "parent" her, not even discussing with her a better way for her to communicate her needs when she has her final blowup at the end where all her bottled-up feelings come loose in a rather disrespectful and demanding phone call. There's some potty humor or slightly cruder phrases, and some somewhat disrespectful attitudes towards parents at times, but overall, it's pretty tame. One character did communicate that he wanted to die; it was a short moment, but it comes up briefly before things seem to get better for him. I enjoyed the ending, which I was concerned about after having been low-key traumatized by the last pages of Out of My Mind. There are some really endearing parts about this book and it stuck with me in a good way even when I woke up the next day. This would be a great upper elementary or middle-school read, but one I think interested adults can enjoy, too.

The Lifegiving Table: Nurturing Faith Through Feasting, One Meal at a Time, by Sally Clarkson**

A book by Sally Clarkson, homeschooling mom in Christian ministry, that explains why the table is such an important place for ministry, as well as the how-to (and some family recipes) to help make it happen.

Why I picked it up: I heard about this one from a relative and had found some of her other work interesting. I originally planned to read it in physical form, but it was available on Audible and went a lot faster that way. I still recommend the hard copy for accessing the recipes.

My impressions: This is a pretty representative sample of Clarkson's work, but it wasn't my favorite. I was already familiar with much of what she said, or found her take on hospitality pretty intuitive. This would be a good book for getting people to think about how hosting others could be a way of serving and bringing others into encounters with Christ. I thought the recipes were a great touch, although only two of them were ones that I decided I want to try eventually. It's a good introduction to hosting and hospitality from a faith perspective, but I don't find it a must-read. This one would be best enjoyed by Christians who have a desire to bring Christ to others through welcoming guests to meals at their homes.

A Comedy of Errors, by William Shakespeare*

Shenanigans follow when two sets of identical twins, separated at birth, are suddenly reunited and their identities are confused.

Why I picked it up: I'm participating in a second reading challenge this summer, thanks to my favorite local bookstore running a bingo-style challenge. One of the items was to read something by or about Shakespeare, so I picked a comedy I hadn't read or watched yet.

My impressions: As with any Shakespeare play, there were a few parts that were hard to follow, but Wikipedia set me straight. There are certainly several uncomfortable scenes, but almost everything is silly, funny, or plain ridiculous. I suspect I might crack up if I were to watch this, depending on how it is directed, but it certainly has the feel of...a comedy of errors, where misunderstandings, miscommunications, and missed opportunities are the cause of the fun, rather than jokes made by the characters. There is one scene where the wife of one twin is trying to get her supposed husband (who is actually the brother) to complete certain matrimonial offices, and he flirts with the woman's sister, so that would be pretty awkward for anyone to watch - but especially if the viewer was high school or younger. There's a sorcerer called in to exorcise someone (it's a pagan setting, but some kind of Christian theological ideas are present?), and someone goes to eat with a courtesan (but they don't do anything else). So, these elements make it so that I wouldn't recommend this play to high schoolers or younger, but I could see myself considering watching it if the opportunity arose.

Bandersnatch, by Diana Pavlac Glyer*

A scholar looks at the Inklings and their creative process, including how they encouraged or pressured each other, shared feedback, and developed relationships that augmented their creative output.

Why I picked it up: This book has been on my to-read list for a while, and this one helps me complete a reading challenge put out by my favorite local bookstore.

My impressions: This is a great book for anyone who wants to learn more about Lewis, Tolkien, and the Inklings, or wants to think about how their creativity can benefit from being part of a supportive, creative group. I have thoughts based on the author's takeaways that will probably appear in a separate blogpost. It sounded like this is the author's less academic take on material covered in a previous book of hers, The Company They Keep, so I was grateful to have had the chance to read the (probably) more accessible version first. That said, this book had lots of great research, with some of it being material I haven't heard before, so this is a good book for those who are new to the Inklings as well as fans who are more familiar with some of the research already. I liked the author's take and her focus on how the relationships shaped (and were shaped by) their creative output. I recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Tolkien, Lewis, or the idea of writing or creating more.

Reset Your Child's Brain: A Four-Week Plan to End Meltdowns, Raise Grades, and Boost Social Skills by Reversing the Effects of Electronic Screen-Time, by Victoria L. Dunckley, MD; read by Coleen Marlo**

A doctor discusses the dangers of screentime and the many numerous effects it can have on children, as well as a detailed plan for how to reduce screen exposure and reap the benefits of a screen-free childhood.

Why I picked it up: A relative who works in the schools told me about this book last summer, before I had my training in March on the impact of screens on development. It was available on Audible and I wanted to listen to it before my subscription ended.

My impressions: This book provides a pretty thorough overview of the issues screens can cause. However, it is important to take the author's professional opinion with multiple grains of salt. I agree with much of what she says, and I absolutely believe her stories about the changes she's seen in many of her patients, but some of her takes seemed a bit alarmist to me. I would say her anti-screen views are a little more extreme than mine, but she has lots of good things to say. I would be interested in looking into more of the research she draws from before believing all the claims she makes, but that's the desire I have when hearing people make claims about how bad screens are. I liked that Dunckley lines out her screen detox in great detail, providing highly applicable, practical insights to the process. I would recommend this book to most parents and adults, with the caveat that there is certainly an anti-screen slant and I don't take everything author says as the final word on the subject.

Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson

An epistolary tale based on an elderly man's reflections on life, fatherhood, family, and faith, all of which he wants to share with his young son.

Why I picked it up: This was another book I picked up for a local bookstore's summer bingo challenge, but it had been on my radar for a while and I'd heard it was very good.

My impressions: This very reflective book ambles along, but engages the reader with the narrator's relationships, struggles, and insights. I loved hearing the history of his family, especially his fiery Baptist grandfather who worked hard in Kansas to further the cause of abolition. There is not much plot, but I appreciated the book for what it was, and it was something that made me think of Diary of a Country Priest, which was referenced in this book. Thanks to a book club, I was watching for fatherhood specifically, and this book had so much to say about it. I was invested in getting to know characters and pondered along with the narrator. However, I was lost a few times in his more theological reflections, which definitely leaned into Protestant beliefs, one of which concerned predestination. This isn't the sort of book to try to speed read through, but I finished in a few days of concentrated reading. I'd recommend this book to people who want a book with a slower pace and ideas to chew on, especially if they enjoyed Hannah Coulter or Diary of a Country Priest.

Bracket Play

Alright, gang. I'll mostly skip the first round because I purposely set weaker books against stronger ones. Only two probably should have made it to round two, if they'd had the chance - those would have been Shakespeare's A Comedy of Errors and Give Your Child the World, which are both good in their own ways, but each rather unique in this field of contenders.

In round two, it was a bit of a bummer to see In the House of Tom Bombadil go, but Gilead was a really good book. I felt bad knocking out both Catholic books by round two, but the two I finished this month just weren't as memorable or impactful. There were some solid books knocked out in round two, but for the most part, there were flaws or weaknesses that accounted for those losses.

Quarterfinals had some great books - a Pulitzer prize-winner, a refreshingly clever children's mystery book, a book about the Inklings and what we can learn from their collaboration, and an in-depth look about potential dangers of screentime and how to do a screen "detox." I ended up giving the victory to Gilead over Premeditated Myrtle because the former was a much deeper and contemplative book, as fun as the mystery was. Bandersnatch, an academic yet practical work, won over the scientific and practical Reset Your Child's Brain. I love the Inklings, and Bandersnatch had a lot to say to my life outside of professional interests.

That meant that Gilead face Bandersnatch - and I say that Bandersnatch one. I'm still wanting to think about how to apply this book to my own life. As great as Gilead is, I'm not going to have it win just because it has amazing writing. It doesn't excite me as much as the other book, so the Inklings have inspired a work that wins yet another bracket.

Half-Read?

This month, I listened to an audiobook in part. I probably listened to half of it, but I skipped too many parts to say I'd finished it.

On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life Through Great Books, by Karen Swallow Prior**

A literary critic walks through a dozen or so classic works of literature and explains how each work is a depiction of a particular virtue.

Why I picked it up: This one was on my to-read list, and Audible had it for free.

Why I skipped so much: I'm a sensitive soul and I skipped chapters that were about more depressing works, such as the post-apocalyptic The Road and Ethan Frome. I really enjoyed the chapter on Jane Austen's Persuasion, and found greater appreciation for works I'm not a huge fan of, but overall, it wasn't something that I needed. If I have to read one of these works sometime, I can always see if I can refer to the relevant chapter, but I'm alright with letting this one go partially unread.

Books Attempted and Put Down

The Life You Save May Be Your Own: An American Pilgrimage, by Paul Elie**

This book looks at four Catholic American authors of the 20th century.

Why I picked it up: This book was available for free through Audible. It had been on my to-read list at some point, although removed after a time. I wanted to make the most of the last month of my subscription.

Why I put it down: The lives and works of some of these authors looked to be pretty gritty, which I don't usually handle well in my reading material. I also discovered there were many more books that were actively on my to-read list that I could listen to instead.

The Time Traveler's Guide to Regency Britain, by Ian Mortimer**

A historian describes everything you'd need to know about Regency Era British society if you were to time-travel tour it.

Why I picked it up: There's a Medieval version of this sort by the same author I've been wanting to read. Unfortunately, that one wasn't available for free through Audible - but this one was.

Why I put it down: It wasn't bad; it just was a book I didn't want to give a lot of time to. I discovered books I'm more motivated to listen to in the next few weeks and decided this one would get in the way.

Mama Bear Apologetics, by Hillary Morgan Ferrer**

A Christian mother explains ways to share the truth of the Faith with children and how to counteract the culture's lies.

Why I picked it up: I'd seen the cover of this one a time or two and figured I would give it a try since it was free on Audible

Why I put it down: I ran out of time because I had other titles I really wanted to get to before my subscription ran out. I also have heard similar information before since I've listened to many Word on Fire Podcast episodes about related topics.

Reflection on Bandersnatch: Writing With and For

 Reflections on the Writing Process

I've been reading the book Bandersnatch, by Diana Pavlac Glyer, and reflecting on her insights. As she explains how influence and collaboration worked within the Inklings, the group of creative writers including C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien, she makes sure to include their process and sometimes even their own words.

As I read Chapter 5, "Drat that Omnibus!", which focuses on the specific feedback the Inklings gave each other, a direct quote from Tolkien struck me. He stated, "If I had considered my own pleasure more than the stomachs of a possible audience, there would have been a great deal more Elvish in the book." (p. 105) As I reflected a few weeks ago on the audiobook One Beautiful Dream, by Jennifer Fulwiler, I realized the pursuit of writing for God needs a reason. This reason, it seems, cannot be simply "to entertain myself." It cannot be self-centered. Very well! I can try to write to bring joy or comfort or help to others. However, Tolkien's comment reveals that we can be selfish not just in our writing intention, but in the way we write.

Writing for Others

I had several "aha!" moments while reading Fulwiler's book. To summarize from my previous blog post "One Beautiful Dream and Dreams to Write One Beautiful Thing," these realizations are:

1) Have a purpose for writing: to lift burdens, to encourage, to comfort others.

2) It's alright to write just a little, but to fulfill its purpose, it must be shared - even if it's with just one person.

3) Good writing matters because beautiful writing can uplift the reader.

Tolkien's statement has helped clarify this last point in particular. I may need to put aside my own preferences in order to do what readers would probably enjoy more. I cannot be so attached to my own words and the way I've arranged them that I do the reader a disservice by refusing to alter them. I won't need to act on every suggested edit, but I should consider what effect the words might have on the reader. Perhaps the original draft seems to describe the scene in one way, but proofreading from a different set of eyes might reveal that the words suggest a completely different image from what I intend. 

Openness to Feedback

When I've worked on projects or presentations in the past, I've had a tendency to feel very defensive of my skills and protective of my work. I know that I'm sensitive to criticism, so I want to avoid situations where my work will be explored for flaws. With this new insight that I've gleaned from Tolkien, I hope to move forward with being open to - and even embracing - the editing process. It is not myself who is being judged worthy of reading - or not. The words either convey the meaning that I want them to, or they don't. If a friend offers a correction on word choice, it is a gift to me because it makes the work better and, hopefully, more meaningful to the reader. It may still hurt, but perhaps the knowledge that it is for the good of the work, and not its destruction, will help assuage my sensitivity.

So, here is the fourth "aha!" principle:

4) You are not your written work. Editing is meant to refine the work so it is a better gift to the reader (i.e., it can better uplift, encourage, and comfort).

Action Item

In conclusion, the editing process does not need to be terrifying. Going forward from this post, my new goal is to embrace an opportunity to have someone edit my work when the opportunity arises.

Trimming Down a To-Read List

Reflecting on Crossing Out Titles - Without Having Read Them

A few months ago, I made a big road trip with a good chunk of my family. We were on the road over the span of two days, and the nieces and nephews had a constant rotation in and out of the seat next to me on the way. There were very few moments that I had to myself outside using the bathroom, but I managed to find enough quiet time here and there to tackle a Very Big Project.

A Very Big Project

Very Big Projects are usually endeavors that will take many hours of work to complete and often land on my summer to-do (or "want to accomplish") list. However, this one took just a few to complete - although it required lots and lots of whiteout. During this trip, I took my to-read list to task and pared it down.

What made this task a Very Big Project was the fact that it required me to research and decide what I was taking out. Much like a closet that is overflowing with clothes that one doesn't wear, the list had grown overfull and was increasingly hard to manage. There were too many items on the list, so I lost track of which books I really wanted to read, and which ones had ended up there just because I'd come across a title that sounded mildly interesting. A cleaning-out was long overdue.

Process

I went through the list and, title by title, looked up each work on the Internet. Did the premise still sound interesting? If so, it stayed. If the book didn't actually sound great, or had elements that I figured would be too trying for me, I could say goodbye to it. Cross it off! White it out! I removed a few duplicates and also crossed off any titles that I already owned. For example, I recently came across Reader Come Home by Maryanne Wolfe, which is a book I wanted to make sure I read this summer for its relevance to my work in a school. When I purchased the book (at a weekly library book sale in Nebraska), I crossed it off my list. 

I also took a look at how it was organized. The headings under which I organized the works are: Children's, Theology, Saints & Personal Witness, Academic & Nonfiction, Fiction, Christmas, Poetry, Picture Books, and a few sections at the end that aren't quite books - Movie Recommendations and Finding Book Recommendations. I decided that Academic & Nonfiction was too big a category - rather, the books I am most interested in reading first were lost in the section. I moved over 20 titles to a new section, entitled "Writing & Reading". This helps me by keeping high-interest titles (about reading about reading, and the creative life vis a vis writing) in a location that's easier for me to find.

The Result

I'm glad I went to the trouble of doing this. My to-read list is still pretty overwhelming - enough so that I'm not going to count how many titles are on it. However, it is less of a beast to flip through when I'm considering what I'd like to read next. There are more white lines thanks to whiting out the crossed-off titles, which is a huge aid visually and gives me a sense of accomplishment, whether I've earned it or not.

It was a relief to cross off a good number of titles that I realized I really didn't want to read. They may have been recommended on a trusted Facebook group or initially caught my attention, but taking the time to look into these books has definitely shed light on the fact that I don't want to make time for some books after all.

I also have tried books by several Newbery-Award-winning authors during the last year, and come to realize that the writing style of some of them just isn't for me. Since I didn't enjoy The Secret Confessions of Charlotte Doyle and Crispin by Avi, I knew that I could remove any of his other works from consideration. The same goes for Katherine Rundell and Kate DiCamillo, although I'll probably still try to read or listen to The Tale of Despereaux sometime soon since I told my nephew I'd try to read it. I'm not saying I've sworn off them forever, but I get to give myself some space from them for now.

Another effect of clearing the lists is that I was able to investigate where I might find some of these books when I do decide I want to read them. Is it a popular paperback that might be at the library? Is it an old classic that might be available for free through Audible's rotation sometime, or so old that hardcopy is my only likely source? Maybe it's public domain or close to being so. That last reality helped me decide to finally try Mother Mary Loyola's allegory for children, The King of the Golden City. I found it on Librivox because my research revealed it was in the public domain, and while it wasn't my favorite, I now know it and have since crossed it off my list.

Resolutions for the Future

I think clearing house in the to-read list would be a good thing to do on a yearly basis. I probably won't need to research every title every year, which could make this a faster project in the future. I think I would also benefit from making a rule for myself as I constantly work the system with Audible. If I find a title is available for free on Audible and I don't make the time to listen to it before my subscription runs out, I should remove it from the physical to-read list, or at least seriously consider if it still warrants a place on it. There are seven titles I discovered are on both my list and Audible's available content rotation at this time. I have just over two weeks before I have to cancel, and I have a feeling that I won't make it to some of those books - and that needs to be okay with me.

My husband and I also had a discussion while we were out of town this week. I told him that I tore through most of a young adult novel during the course of a day, but I hadn't really enjoyed it. Sure, it picked up towards the end, but for most of the book, I hadn't enjoyed the characters, hadn't been engrossed in the setting or the excitement of what was happening, and found it to be a middling example of its genre. We talked about how I'm way more okay with putting down books now than I used to be. I'm not scared to show up to book club and reveal that I've failed, yet again, to get past chapter one of the monthly pick because I knew it would have content that would not sit well with me. However, I told him that I think I need to be even more discerning. If a book is tolerable, but I'm not really enjoying it, is that a good enough reason for me to plow through it until the end? If not, what is the point at which I decide it's not worth continuing? Do I have to notice I'm not loving it, or check in with myself a third of the way into the book each time? And when do I decide I should keep reading, even if I don't necessarily enjoy it? This may require further reflection from me.

One last resolution regards the amount of time I spend reading, or, at the very least, the attitude I have towards it. I love reading and regard it as one of my favorite, most consistent, and most enduring pastimes. However, I also believe I'm too attached to it. I typically am able to fulfill my duties without reading interfering, but I sometimes work more slowly if I have an audiobook going. I may neglect activities I ought to do or lose time sleeping if I'm enjoying a book too much. There are handcrafts and projects I want to complete - sometimes for others - that I still haven't finished a year later because so much time goes towards reading. Finally, I feel I let the fact that I'm reading about God give me an inflated sense of really knowing and being in relation with Him. I think reading is sometimes a hindrance to me living the life I'm meant to live. I want to be fully engaged in what I'm doing, and complete projects for love of others without needing to have a story going. This might mean taking a longer break from Audible sometime or choosing to work with no headphones on. It might mean taking to prayer my desire to read or consciously choosing to close my book and put it away so I can connect more fully. Every love can become disordered, and I am slowly starting to realize what this can look like with reading.

My immediate action item is to make sure I put in a lot of work on my husband's t-shirt quilt this next week and to make it a priority over reading.

Ending on a Positive Note

I couldn't just leave off with "I need to read less!", so I'll conclude with saying I think that reflecting on the process of paring down the to-read list has helped clarify a few things for me. This writing exercise is a great example of how writing can help me organize my thoughts, reflect, and either supplement nascent thoughts or come up with new ideas about topics that are important to me. 

Reflections on One Beautiful Dream

One Beautiful Dream and Dreams to Write One Beautiful Thing

I just finished an audiobook recording of a work written by Jennifer Fulwiler, entitled One Beautiful Dream. While I don't have enough thoughts to make this a "deep dive" into the text, there is certainly enough to the book to provide fodder for blog post reflections.

The book itself is well-crafted, with great storytelling, structure, and balance between humor and the cares of daily life. However, these elements alone do not account for my interest in the book. Fulwiler says something near the end of the book that has had me reflecting ever since.

"I wanted to tell stories, to relieve people's burdens," she states in chapter 36, as she ponders how writing came to be such a core part of her life. This statement is at once the succinct explanation for why Jennifer writes, as well as the jumping-off point for a lifetime of creative endeavors. In one sentence, she sums up not just the importance of writing to her, but its necessity.

The Need to Write?

For all my bookish inclinations and pipe dreams of becoming a world-famous author, I have never been the sort of person who "needed" to write. No Anne Shirley am I, feeling like something will shrivel up inside of me and die if words do not flow from my fingers onto a Word document.  In college, when I went through a period of trying to be an English major, I realized that my creativity didn't flow into writing the way it seemed to for the other students. I excelled at the precise analysis of sentences tree diagrams and the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), but struggled to understand how people wrote - for fun - in the midst of required reading and essays for class. Even now, as I listen to podcasts featuring authors of children's books and their writing process, or read about Tolkien "discovering" parts of his story as he wrote, I feel like I don't fit into any of the author molds that are offered - at least, not by authors of fiction.

And yet, the desire to write something remains. Every month, I delight to think that the 30th or 31st has rolled around, because it means it's time to take stock of my reading for the month. I weigh the positives and negatives of the books I've consumed, and record my thoughts, to reference later for reminders on what to recommend to people, or what to hand the kids I hope to someday have running around my house. There was even a time when I sat down and typed out a first draft of a novel. I haven't felt the need to go through and rework it after getting it out, but there's still something in me that desires to get thoughts or stories out in such a way that I can come back to them again later.

And I enjoy writing, at least in small chunks. I like to see something come together, but appreciate being able to call something "complete" after a small amount of time. In fact, I think I can be quite refreshed by doing a "deep dive" on the blog, and my husband encourages me to make time for it. 

And yet, when I tried to tell myself that one Lenten goal was to write a little bit every day, I felt guilty - and it wasn't just because I failed from the very start. I have sensed for a while that this writing is, in fact, a selfish thing. It's something I do because it's fun for me, but not something at the level of a charism, which I'm performing for the sake of the Kingdom of God

The Charism of Writing

A few years ago, my now-husband and I attended a "Called and Gifted" weekend workshop at a nearby parish. These workshops help participants start discerning what specific gifts they have been given by God to help build up the Church, such as hospitality, wisdom, healing, administration, and - amongst many others - writing. Though drawn to the idea of writing, it was not one that struck me as being a charism that I'm likely to have right now. The gist of it is that you might be given gifts primarily in certain areas, but other gifts can be developed or asked for over time. However, these gifts are not gifts just for the person who has them. They're meant to be used in service of others.

My writing has never really been at the service of others. At best, it has been applied to write what I hope were some solid thank-you or birthday cards, an acceptable toast, or, in the case of the first draft, some entertainment and encouragement to other creative folks in my friend circle. At worst, my writing has been something that I do for my own pleasure, refusing to share the product with others, or simply something that is the means to an end (completing a paper to receive a grade). When I write, it's not typically done with the intention to build God's Kingdom.

However, when I heard Fulwiler's words, they put their hooks in me and have been trailing after me ever since. Maybe the reason why I haven't been able to write in a self-donating way is that I haven't figured out the "why" that makes writing a gift for others instead of myself. For Fulwiler, her desire is, indeed, to share stories, but for the purpose of encouraging and lifting others up. 

I think this means that it's okay for me to enjoy doing something for myself, but the reason why I should write, if I am so called, is to be a help to others.

Helping to Carry Burdens Through Writing

What does it look like to relieve burdens through writing? It could look like Fulwiler's memoir here, One Beautiful Dream, that shows that it's possible to live a full and crazy and beautiful family life while making time for writing in the context of building up that family. It could be a theological treatise, like St. Ignatius of Loyola's Spiritual Exercises, which can help readers make a retreat and grow closer to God. It could look like poetry, composed over time in various settings, that helps readers observe beauty in created things. It could look like a fantasy novel that is a "comfort read" when life is stressful.

One thing worth noting here is that the writing must be shared if it is to uplift. The work cannot just stay on a hidden blog page for aye and aye, with only the author taking a peek from time to time. If I am to write for something other than a frivolous hobby, I am to share it, whether it be with one person or with hundreds. Another element to ponder is that I don't have to write prolifically to do God's will. I may be called to write only one single draft of a novel, or a single nonfiction book of reflections, or nothing at all. God may be calling me to other duties, even if there is a desire in me to create something beautiful with words someday.

Fulwiler's statement clarified a final thought for me: good writing craft matters because the quality of the writing itself can uplift the reader. Being able to dissect grammar, craft a variety of sentences, structure paragraphs, and use symbolic language sometimes felt like dead-end activities in my literature classes, but now I realize that these elements can be as vital to engaging a reader as exciting plot elements or profound reflections. Writing can sometimes relieve burdens through a beautifully crafted sentence that causes a heart to lift or a mind to turn to God in gratitude.

Fighting Resistance

Earlier in her book, Fulwiler discusses the idea of "resistance," which she came across in a book entitled The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield. This concept means that there is always resistance to creative work - tight schedules, lack of motivation, distractions, and more. Fulwiler took this idea and went even further with it, stating that Satan might resist human creativity because of the good it can do. 

I'm don't think this means I'm meant to write books and all my difficulties up to now were the result of outside resistance to my destined work. However, I see now that, if I am ever to find out if God wants me to write, I need to make writing happen. There will always be sirens calling for my attention from every corner, but I will need to tie myself to the mast of this work if anything is to come out of this long-time desire compose something beautiful.

With this in mind, I set a goal for myself now. On the next journey I take, I will make sure to spend time writing for at least five minutes during 10 days. I might miss a day here or there, but I will consult my husband about what I should write about, and go from there. Then, I will share what I've written with friends. 

Jennifer Fulwiler, thank you for pursuing God's call to you to write. I have found encouragement to pursue more of the creative life.

May Book Bracket 2025

May Book Bracket

May started off slowly on the reading front, but the availability of audiobooks for chore-time at home helped me keep those numbers high. This month was definitely heavy on audio, but I hope my commitment to reading more of the books I own already will pay off in the next few months.

A Short History of the World According to Sheep, by Sally Coulthard**

This book covers different developments in societies, laws, and culture that were prompted in some way by the interaction of mankind with sheep.

Why I picked it up: I got Audible back, and this one was available for free. I'd enjoyed nonfiction works like this before, and I wanted to give it a try.

My impressions: Though there were some interesting points to ponder in this work, it was a book that I was considering putting down halfway through because I just wasn't really invested in it. Yeah, I guess I was learning things, like the varying qualities that make different kinds of sheep wool desirable, or how important spinning and knitting were to preindustrial society, but it wasn't gripping enough to make me feel like it was a good use of my listening time. I eventually decided to finish it, but mostly for the sake of saying I finished it. Later in the book, the information moved away from sheep specifically and focused more heavily on the industrialization of society and the role mechanized manufacture of cloth had to play in it. I skipped most of the last chapter because it started with talking about prostitutes in France and I really didn't want to hear where or how that connected with sheep. I won't say there's nothing to be gained from this book, but I didn't like it enough to recommend it.

Set the World on Fire: A 4-Week Personal Retreat with the Female Doctors of the Church, by Vinita Hampton Wright

A spiritual director and speaker takes readers through a personal retreat of daily readings and questions by reflecting on the four female Doctors of the Church.

Why I picked it up: A friend in one of my book groups picked up a copy at a retreat she attended and was excited to read it with us.

My impressions: This book was a nice sort of do-at-home Catholic retreat book, but one that's more likely to appeal to women than to men. I can't say that I gave it the full reflection time that was recommended, and I certainly did not do all the activities that were part of the process, but it contained some good reflections. I think the author did a good job of picking a particular focus for each of the four saints, and she drew from their respective works. I got the feeling that the author did much reflecting and put a lot of work into this book. I think it's important to remember that there's so much more that we can learn from these women than what's in these pages. Unfortunately, I'm writing this review a week or so after I finished reading, and I didn't write notes in the book as I went. I do know that I had some great discussion with the friends I read this with, including topics such as the tension between the effort we put into growing in holiness, versus the work God does in us towards that end. I liked that this book, although more likely to appeal to women, doesn't feel like it's just for women. It asks retreatants to do some solid reflecting, and I love it when a female-oriented Catholic event or product feels like it has some theological heft to it, like what I might expect to see in something marketed for Catholic men. It's a good do-at-home retreat type of book, but I do wonder what will become of it if/when more women are elevated to the status of "Doctor of the Church." I think this book would appeal more to women, but I think men can benefit from this book, as well.

Silverwing, by Kenneth Oppel

Shade, the runt of his bat colony, finds adventure, friends, and hungry foes as he loses his way to the hibernation cave of his colony of silverwing bats.

Why I picked it up: Someone recommended this book at the very first Beverages and Books event we hosted, and it has lived on my to-read list ever since. I found it for cheap at public library's store and decided to try it out after Lent.

My impressions: This is a weird book. There were elements of it that I liked, including exciting scrapes and close encounters with disaster that the main characters manage to navigate. I rarely had any ideas about what would happen next. There is a sweep of almost epic proportions in this tale, with disintegrating relationships between different species of animals and mysterious interactions with humans creating a sense of high stakes for the reader. However, it was, at times, a gruesome and somewhat bizarre tale. There are some myths that contribute to worldbuilding, and it was fine so long as the bat gods referenced in the myths were merely the substance of legend. However, things got a little eerie when it seemed like there was a possibility that there were functioning bat gods in this fantasy universe. Also, it was a bit of a clash with the setting, in which there are modern cities and scientists roaming as well. There was also an encounter with a sort of cult-like bat group that really weirded me out. Some sections were creepy and some were kind of gross, but I did want to know how the story ended. There wasn't a really satisfying conclusion, because this is apparently the first book of a trilogy. I went ahead and read the detailed synopses of the next two books...and I would say, don't spend your reading time on this strange book or the ones that follow it.

Dragon Slippers, by Jessica Day George**

A girl seeks her fortune as a prospective seamstress in her nation's capitol - but her plans become inextricably entwined with the fate of long-forgotten dragons.

Why I picked it up: When looking at what options were available on Audible for free, I found out that this authors Tuesdays at the Castle series was only for purchase - but this fantasy series was available!

My impressions: After a slow start that was strongly reminiscent of the Dealing with Dragons series by Patricia Wrede, the story came into its own and achieved a climactic ending. I was not impressed by the first 20% of the story or so, and considered putting it down. It played with the "dragon steals fair maiden" trope in a way that had me thinking of Dealing with Dragons way too much, comparing and contrasting one with the other. The main character, Creel, has some distinctive personality traits at the beginning, but I think she has some subtle development as the story progresses, and it's neat to think of her development being less pronounced rather than in-your-face. The world-building is pretty good, but I was uncomfortable with her term for her people's gods, and, frankly, I think the story could have done with even less explanations of her religion than were present - and there wasn't a ton on that front. I liked the characters, but I think that this book would not be interesting to boys - especially once the book hits the seamstress storyline hard in the middle. I imagine some girls would love the luscious gown descriptions, and I enjoyed it, myself, but it's certainly a story element that is just not going to jive with every reader - even when the stakes rise higher and some exciting action starts happening. Some characters are gossipy, and Creel is more physically aggressive at times than I expected, but the main plot is pretty interesting, especially as one gets farther into the story. There's some romance, and nothing that would be considered scandalous, but there are some comments here and there that focus perhaps a little much on the physical/visual elements of being attracted to someone. Alchemy is discussed in the book, but the author doesn't go into depth about how alchemy works - it's just the magic of this particular world. There is some discussion of stealing which isn't really resolved in a satisfactory way, but it's primarily in one portion of the story. I think middle school girls would be fine reading this book, but it doesn't hurt parents to know what's in the story. Boys could appreciate more of the dragons and action, less of the sewing and dress designing.

The Birchbark House, by Louise Erdrich

Omakayas, a girl of the Ojibwa tribe, lives the rhythm of a year in the company of her family, learning the traditions and, when winter comes, fighting a devastating illness.

Why I picked it up: This book was recommended somewhere - it was mentioned as a Native American perspective on the time in which the Little House on the Prairie books takes place.

My impressions: The beginning of the story really had me thinking this would be a story told in the style of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, just from an Indian perspective, but it turned out to be far grimmer and sadder than I anticipated. There's some heavy stuff in this book - including death, serious illness, and depression. It is even mentioned that one character tried to die by his own hand after the loss of a loved one - it is covered in a single paragraph, but that's still a heavy topic to throw out there in a kid's book. Stylistically, there are indeed similarities to the Wilder books, such as the illustrations, the description of life, in its wonder and hardships and family relations and daily tasks, but it just didn't have the same cozy feel as the Little House books. Perhaps it is because there is a looming sense of potential loss at the hands of white people running as an undercurrent through the story. There are some endearing parts, for sure, but also a few creepy stories. Missionaries are mentioned periodically, but Omakayas' family certainly embraces Native American beliefs and spirituality, so parents might want to be aware of that. I considered if I wanted to continue reading the series, but decided against it because it wasn't a delightful read and there are other books I'd much rather read. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it because of the heavy content in parts, but some more mature students could read this, maybe in upper elementary or middle school.

Dragon Flight, by Jessica Day George**

The second book in the series about Creel, a girl who befriended dragons and now must help save her country by investigating reports of dragons being trained to attack her homeland.

Why I picked it up: I enjoyed the ending of the first book in the series, and wanted to find out what happened next.

My impressions: This book is more likely to be enjoyed by boys than the original book was, as it has plenty of spying, dragon action, and daring feats, but there's still an emphasis on relationships, upcoming weddings, and Creel's slow burn with her love interest that keeps this book, perhaps, more solidly in the realm of works likely to be enjoyed by girls. Creel's personality has solidified by this point in the series, and it was fun from the get-go to see how she's not afraid to take charge. She's hotheaded and often on the edge of saying something that will likely upset the authority in the room, but she's brave and clever and likeable. There are more comments in this book about the visual side of attraction - guys commenting how nice girls look in foreign pantaloon-style outfits, a girl saying she'll consider how a guy looks shirtless later on, etc., than in the first book - so that's something to be aware of. It's not scandalous by any means, but not quite as squeaky-clean as some books are when they have romance in them. There's still seamstress activities and clothing descriptions, but not nearly as much as in the first book, so the balance feels better there. The issue of stealing which was not addressed particularly in the first book comes back around in this tale, as do discussions of politics that are enough to world-build, but not overwhelming. This book felt more balanced than the first one, with the exception of a denouement that goes on really long. It's still interesting and necessary for wrapping up the story, but the big fight happens quite a distance from the ending of the tale. Middle school readers would probably be the best match in age for this book.

Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain, by Maryanne Wolf**

A researcher on reading and the brain explains the history of reading written words as well as what happens in the brain when people read - or struggle to read.

Why I picked it up: This book has professional interest for me. Even though I've read it before, I decided it would be good to review it before I moved on to other works by the same author that have more to say about reading and the impact of screens. It didn't hurt that it was available through Audible.

My impressions: This book is a pretty good introduction to reading and the brain's activity during reading for those who are not scientists or reading specialists. I found the history of writing and reading very interesting, and probably more so than the sections that focus on the brain - but that is at least partly due to the fact that I've had plenty of formal instruction related to the science of reading. The author advocates her cause well, arguing that there are dire emotional consequences to not learning how to read, and how this travesty could be pretty easily avoided better equipping teachers with knowledge.  Wolf provides the reader with some provocative reflection questions as part of her reading manifesto - and I appreciate that she went ahead and followed up on those questions by writing another book or two to address concerns about reading and thinking in a digital age. I'm looking forward to reading that book. This would be a great book for adults who are interested in the history of reading and writing and the research that has been done on the reading brain.

A Place to Hang the Moon, by Kate Albus**

Three children must not only navigate the trials of being sent to live with foster families in the country during wartime, but also hope to have one of those families turn into a forever home.

Why I picked it up: I think I'd seen this book recommended somewhere, and I picked it up at the local Friends of the Library bookstore for cheap. I ended up listening to it on Audible because it was easier for me to access that way, rather than dedicate precious sit-down reading time to it.

My impressions: This is a pretty good book, with highs, lows, and realistic sibling relationships, but there are a few minor negative points in it. Let's get to the negatives first. I've seen several versions of cover illustrations for this book, and they're all misleading. They present the children's lineup according to age as boy-girl-boy, but the girl is actually the youngest. The characters discuss the legend of Lady Godiva with their class, and my opinion is that going through a tale about a woman riding naked through the streets of a town is not my idea of excellent imagery that I want child readers thinking about. There's also some underlying messages about lying or deception, which insinuate that, although they're not ideal, might be the best course of action to take in the children's situation. I could see what the author was getting at - that revealing their true position and likelihood of inheriting wealth would endanger the children. However, that's a pretty slippery slope and makes me wonder where this sort of rationalization would end. One of the great parts about this book was that it had a little bit of the feel of some of the classics that are referenced throughout, including A Little Princess and, I assume, Heidi (which I've read before, but during elementary school). There are a few parts that could be hard for more sensitive kids to read, as the reader feels for the characters in their trials, which can be pretty stark. The writing was thoughtful and painted scenes well without being hyper-detailed. There's a character I found myself disliking but also pitying - I don't know that I've seen the desperation of poverty displayed like this in the children's books that I've read. I wish that there'd been more closure on a certain storyline, but it didn't prevent the ending from feeling mostly-satisfactory, although somewhat predictable. I think this book would be fine for less-sensitive kids to read, so long as parents were alright with the Lady Godiva bit and knowing there were some flaws in the reasoning about deception.

The Hero and the Crown, by Robin McKinley**

A fantasy tale follows the misfit Aerin, as she battles her insecurities and serves her country by taking on dragons and mighty foes to save her land.

Why I picked it up: This book had been on my to-read list at some point. It was available for free through Audible.

My impressions: This fantasy adventure has a lot of good things going for it, but it had enough uncomfortable elements that I was left feeling a little yucky at the end. The main negative qualities were Aerin having two love interests, and one of them was her first cousin (ick). There's more to it than that, but there seemed to be a lot of time spent on these relationships with a romantic view in mind. I don't think there was anything overtly scandalous (I skimmed or skipped here and there), but there were descriptions of Aerin being held in so-and-so's arms, a few references to more "adult" language like describing someone as having a "lover's smile", etc. I just wanted to get back to the action, which was well written. In fact, while the prose didn't strike me as being particularly beautiful, there certainly were beautiful phrases. It was good, solid writing. I enjoyed much of the world-building, which included a view that dragons are evil creatures - a refreshing nod to how dragons were historically viewed in Western culture. In fact, the author did such a good job depicting the evil of one particular dragon that I was starting to get a little creeped out. I will say that, although there is a plot and Aerin's character follows a trajectory of development, the story itself seems a little bit disjointed. There are multiple bad guys, with a main big baddy being at the back of much grief that occurs during the book, but he's not the final one to be dealt with. The books sets up for a sequel, but I won't be listening to that one - the romantic relationship stuff was not my type of thing, and I don't think I'd recommend it because of that element in particular.

One Beautiful Dream: The Rollicking Tale of Family Chaos, Personal Passions, and Saying Yes to Them Both, by Jennifer Fulwiler**

A Catholic convert describes her family's story of coming together as a unit to help her pursue a personal passion so she could be fully engaged as a wife and mother.

Why I picked it up: This was a book that had been on my to-read list for a while, and I decided to use an Audible credit to obtain it. I'd read the author's conversion story previously and enjoyed it.

My impressions: This memoir is an encouragement to any family woman (or man) who wants a vibrant family life as well as time to pursue creative hobbies. I enjoy Fulwiler's writing style and appreciate the opportunity to look through a window into her life, as it were. She's honest about the struggles she faces, and I found her writing humorous, easy to listen to, and high-quality. I loved how she shaped the narrative and brought it full-circle. Her Catholic faith hugely important to the narrative, as were the decisions she and her husband made in light of that faith. I wish she'd talked more about why she and her husband didn't pursue sterilization, but she was very open about her faith and I loved how she talked about hospitality and welcoming everyone who comes into our lives - including the children born to us. She is real about the difficulty of making friends as adults, and shows how gaps in our community circle can be filled by the people we encounter. She talks a bit about her process of getting published, which was pretty neat for this reader, who might be curious about it, but way too scared of getting overwhelmed to look into it. I feel more than ever that I should write more, or do some sort of creative output, and she even put into words what a good motivation could be: "I wanted to tell stories, to relieve people's burdens" (Ch. 36). I have more thoughts on this - hopefully, to be written later. I recommend reading this book, especially to Christians and Catholics, and even more particularly to those with creative tendencies.

Bracket Play

Having ten books makes for a bit of an awkward bracket, but it still works.

In the first round, it was pretty easy to pair weaker books (A Short History...Sheep, The Hero and the Crown, The Birchbark House, Silverwing) against stronger books. The weaker books were disliked for various reasons, including uncomfortable content, sometimes disturbing or upsetting content, and/or not being as interesting. I will say that two of those books, The Hero and the Crown and The Birchbark House, had some meritorious elements in writing craft, but they had enough strikes against them to warrant simple losses to other works. The two dragon books by Jessica Day George were also pitted against each other in the first round, with the second book being the one that won the faceoff for better overall pacing and adventure throughout.

Fulwiler's book had a buy on this next round. A Place to Hang the Moon was an enjoyable listen, but I gave the victory to the 28-day retreat book based on reflections on the female Doctors of the Church. It was certainly more theologically sound, and it has some good reflections in it. I also marked the nonfiction work about reading as the winner when facing the dragon fantasy book because Proust and the Squid was at a higher level of writing than Dragon Flight.

Wolf's book had a buy in this next round, so One Beautiful Dream faced Set the World on Fire and the memoir won. While I recognize the excellent content of the retreat book, it just didn't have the same impact on me that Fulwiler's book did. 

And impact is the reason that One Beautiful Dream wins this month's bracket. While reviewing the history and brain research of reading is important and sets me up nicely for further reading on the topic of reading this year, Fulwiler had me reflecting on family mission, community, hospitality, and creativity, and reaching out to others to suggest that they might enjoy this book, too.

Books Attempted and Put Down

King Lear, by William Shakespeare; Edited by Joseph Pearce*

A famous tragedy follows the consequences of a conceited king's decision to banish his loving daughter and rely, instead, upon his false-dealing offspring.

Why I picked it up: I had read this in high school already, but this one was required by a book group I attend.

Why I put it down: I read the first act, but it's not an uplifting story and I didn't want to follow a descent into madness, relive a scene of eye-popping cruelty, dwell on the machinations of scheming offspring, or experience the heartbreak of the death of a beloved character. I just spark-noted the next four acts and felt like I'd done my duty by at least trying it again. I'm hoping that the book choices are a bit lighter for this book club in the next couple years.

The Way of Imperfection, by Fr. Andre Daigneault

A priest discusses holiness not as climbing a ladder of personal perfection, but rather embracing the cross of humility as we descend into our imperfections to let God transform us.

Why I picked it up: My younger sister recommended this one to me and said she thought I'd really like it.

Why I put it down: I actually originally put this down sometime last year because I didn't like the feelings I was feeling when I read it. There's something to be said for sitting through discomfort, but I've also come to realize that it's okay to put books down - even recommended spiritual reading - if it's not right for me at this time. I gave it another chance this Lent, and found it less troubling, but I found myself still not feeling particularly encouraged by this work. At least initially, there's a lot of focus on human imperfection, and I don't know that it's necessarily the best work for me to be reading at this point in my life. Other people might get a lot out of it, and maybe someday I'll come back to it - but maybe I won't.

Ruth, by Elizabeth Gaskell*

An orphaned, unmarried woman bears a child out of wedlock, but finds friends and takes initiative in her own life by nursing others in spite of the judgment of others and deprivations of her situation.

Why I picked it up: This was the pick for the book club to which I belong. I could tell this wasn't likely to be one I'd enjoy, so I found a public domain version to read.

Why I put it down: I was right. I didn't even make it through the first chapter, even though nothing bad had happened yet other than the main character was living in sweatshop conditions. The percentage of book read was increasing slowly, indicating this was a long work, so I looked up the summary on Wikipedia. Yup - I'm okay with not dedicating vast amounts of my summer reading time to this work, especially since there are so many I want to get to that I anticipate actually enjoying. The writing and characterization were lovely, as it was Gaskell who wrote it, but I ain't got time or emotional space for Industrial Revolution The Scarlet Letter-esque tomes this year.