Book Bracket July 2024
15 books! I completed 15 books this month! Granted, over half were audiobooks (I needed to end my Audible subscription at the beginning of this month, so I wrapped up a few audiobooks that I hadn't quite finished), but I think this is a new record for me! Is reading/listening to a hundred books this year actually a possibility? I am a little disappointed that I couldn't squeeze in that 16th book to make a beautifully balanced bracket, but I'm not that upset. With working starting up, it's not likely that I'll be able to crank out a bunch of books in August, so it's nice to have a head start on one.
Different, by Sally and Nathan Clarkson**
A difficult son and his mom, famous in homeschooling circles, open up about the difficulties of being and raising a child who is "different" and was difficult to bring up.
Why I picked it up: I've been on a Clarkson book kick, and when I read the description for this one on Audible, I felt like I needed this book in my life to bring me perspective when working with students who I find more difficult to teach.
My impressions: I think this is a great book for educators, parents, and children who feel "different" because of their struggles with particular difficulties. Siblings and other kids could benefit from some of the information here. This is an eye-opening work about the real struggles one family faced because of the anxiety and ADHD one child experiences. Having the voices of both Nathan and Sally presented in the work helped me appreciate that this wasn't going to be a work in which one family member complained about everyone else. It also brings home the fact that families don't operate in a vacuum, and it takes help to overcome obstacles. I felt both perspectives were helpful to my understanding, and I found parts of Nathan's story really resonated with me. In fact, I had to skip through a section here and there because it was just too much for me to listen to all the way through. There is a chapter where Nathan talks about an incident about looking at nudes (art), so I would be more likely to be careful with who I recommend this book to personally, but I think there's much in this book that one can learn about compassion, accompanying people in difficult times, patience, and listening for God's voice. This is a great book for adults, but I imagine some high schoolers could really get into this work as well.
Last Child in the Woods, by Richard Louv**
Americans are more separated from nature than ever before, and Louv takes a look at why this is a problem, as well as the benefits of experiencing nature and what we can do to get ourselves - and especially children - back in touch with it.
Why I picked it up: This was another book that was available for free through my Audible subscription. I'd first heard about it from a gal pal, so it was good to get into a book on my to-read list.
My impressions: My overall impression of this book is that I think it has a lot of good information, but it may need to be taken with a grain of salt. During the first few chapters, I was really agreeing with the author about nature being harder to come by, and that this was a problem, but I was also really starting to worry about my future children's future. Once I realized the work was acting a bit as a fear-monger to me, I was able to take a step back and try to listen with a critically aware mind. Louv does well with his research, both quantitative and qualitative, quoting numbers and ordinances as well as interviews or conversations he has with specific individuals. I will say that I agreed with a lot he says, and I feel a bit of vindication about the fact that my high school biology class was so lackluster - I would have been far more interesting in learning about animals and their behaviors and interaction with environments than I was with the molecular structure of RNA or the functioning of cells. While there was a lot to like about this book, there were some ideas I didn't quite agree with, or find concerning to the same degree as Louv. This book did indeed light a desire in me to have more access to nature and unstructured natural play spaces, but I also wanted to be in nature more myself. I think that's both good (since it's good for you), but also a little problematic since I think I'm wanting it for the sake of it's benefits, rather than just to experience the world that God has given us. If the district plans on doing another seminar-style continuing ed day, this strikes me as a more fun topic to do some learning on. I think this book has information that is applicable to everyone, but it's really more for adults. I'd like some city planners and politicians to read this book and get on board with making sure we have enough parks and access to nature, even as more an more land is sold and developed into duplexes and storefront property.
Paddle-to-the-Sea, by Holling Clancy Holling**
A Native American youth carves a paddler and canoe and launches it, sending it on a long journey to reach the ocean.
Why I picked it up: This very short tale was one I'd heard of before, and I squeezed it into my last days of Audible membership.
My impressions: This is a quick read/listen, and a simple tale. I liked that the tale circled back to the youth who began Paddle-to-the-Sea's journey. There isn't much plot, but the difficulties of a wooden figure and his miniature canoe reaching the sea from some inland Canadian starting point provides enough impetus to keep the story going. Some terms used to refer to Native Americans would be considered politically incorrect, but the tale itself is a neat display of the successful interaction of all sorts of people who help Paddle-to-the-Sea reach his destination. I liked the descriptions of nature and the waterways. It was interesting to this American to try to think about crossing wilderness on the Canadian side more than on the American. This book would be fine for elementary readers, and while it was a good listening experience, I don't think it's a book people need to put on their must-read list.
The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle, by Jennifer Ryan
The rationing of clothes in World War II-era England and the arrival of a long-absent fashion designer bring together the women in one countryside village to offer a wedding dress refashion and borrow service.
Why I picked it up: My Granny has trouble finding books to read that are clean, so when she asked if I'd be interested in this one, I thought it would be nice to take her up on her offer.
My impressions: This is a light romance book that follows three women, and the clothes rationing of the time period gives an interesting flavor to the tale. The characters were unique and, when I put the book down, I often wondered what was going to happen next. The book indeed was relatively clean - no explicit scenes, but a scattering of comments or paragraphs that weren't exactly clean. I skimmed through some bits, especially the paragraphs that had more descriptions of physical aspects of falling in love (the feel of someone's lips, for example), but also here and there just to get past the more uncomfortable situations characters found themselves in. While I'm sure some women of that time were indeed embracing a more independent outlook, some of the sentiments espoused by characters felt foreign in there modern sensibilities. This book could be a fun, light romantic fluff for those adult women looking for something relatively clean, but it's not one that I'll recommend to others.
Madeleine Takes Command, by Ethel C. Brill**
A 14-year-old girl must manage defenses for her family fortress when Iroquois Indians attack while both her parents are absent.
Why I picked it up: This book had come across the Audible recommendations list. I passed it by at first, but I needed to use a credit and this seemed like the best way to access the book.
My impressions: I'm sure glad I took a chance on this book! It has all the adventure qualities a gal like me could ask for. And it's based on a true story! I was in the mood for some early America (or in this case, Canada) early frontier tale, and this hit the spot exactly. There was one part that was a tad slow, since it went through a good chunk of historical back-and-forth battling, but it was useful to know the background to the conflict in the story. I found the characters, and their experience of anxiety, believable. It was a satisfying tale and one I hope my future children have the chance to enjoy. Elementary and middle school aged children would hopefully find this book enjoyable, especially as it could bring to life some their social studies lessons on North American history.
The Maid of Orleans: The Life and Mysticism of Joan of Arc, by Sven Stolpe
A 20th century historian (originally published 1956) digs into the literature about Joan of Arc and constructs a biography of her that addresses modern skepticism about her "voices" as well as her spiritual development.
Why I picked it up: This book had been on my to-read list for a while; I needed to read a biography for my summer reading challenge; I wasn't impressed by Twain's Joan of Arc and wanted information about the real woman.
My impressions: I had a mix of feelings when I finished reading this book. I was grateful to the author for addressing another biographer's take that Joan's "voices" were actually just hallucinations. He showed different times that Joan had success that was inexplicable given the circumstances. He cut through a lot of the weeds of legend that have grown up around this woman, and it was sometimes sad for me to learn that some of the "iconic" parts of her story likely didn't actually happen. It was also difficult to feel that, even when trying to trim out the parts that didn't happen, there's still a lot recorded that we're not quite sure about having actually happened. I felt like I was given good historical context for the politics of the time and that the trial was explained well, but I was uncomfortable with some of the details, like how people constantly tried to defame and even rape her. This is not a book to hand to a kid! I was glad to have learned more about Joan, her personality as it can be captured through descriptions and documents, as well as the fact that her sainthood is not based on the fact that she received personal revelations, but rather that she displayed heroic virtue. It was hard to read about her trial and death, of course...and with the focus on her suffering at the end, I found myself not necessarily longing for the heights of sanctity because suffering - in this case, her type of of suffering - scares me. It took going to adoration and reading something by Fr. Jacques Philippe to help me sort that out (I'm still asking God to make me a saint!). This could be a good book for people who want to know more of the facts about Joan - as well as some of the debunked legends or views; however, there might be more recent scholarship on Joan that could be more up-to-date.
This is My Body: A Call to Eucharistic Revival, by Bishop Robert Barron
Bishop Barron wrote this book about the Eucharist as part of the three-year Eucharistic Revival taking place in the United States 2022-2024.
Why I picked it up: I had intended to read this at some point, with the Eucharistic Revival happening in our country. An extra layer of motivation came from the fact that this book met the "read a book less than 150 pages in length" requirement for the summer reading challenge.
My impressions: Bishop Barron does a nice job laying out the doctrine of the Eucharist and exploring the Bible and Church teaching, as expressed by the early Church Fathers and later theologians, like St. Thomas Aquinas. Though short, this book had a lot of information in it and was very much meant to teach the reader. This book is not what I'd term "dense" (as I prefer to use this term on books that are hard to slog through because of academic-ese), but it wasn't the easiest read because it does deal with more involved theology. The long paragraphs also slightly decreased the readability, but it's a short work overall. My favorite part was about St. Thomas' writing on the Eucharist - I was able to learn more about the doctrine of the Eucharistic, so this was a good book for me to read. This is a book to increase knowledge - which can lead to increased devotion, but it's not set up as a devotional. That makes this a good book for those who want to learn more about the facts of the mystery of the Eucharist.
The Holyday Book, by Fr. Francis X. Weiser
This third book in Fr. Weiser's series considers how the Church celebrates holydays and feastdays that are not part of the Advent, Christmas, Lenten, or Easter seasons.
Why I picked it up: I was at my alma mater for a different book, and I figured I'd capitalize on my trip and grab this book, too.
My impressions: This book follows the style and feel of the previous two works, but like those works, has some parts that are outdated due to changes in the life of the Church that happened after Vatican II (which took place after the publication of this work). I have much more about this work in a separate post, but this is a solid "vintage" Catholic book that was a light, easy read.
Greenglass House, by Kate Milford**
Milo's innkeeper parents unexpectedly must host multiple mysterious guests over Christmas break, and he must help a friend solve the mysteries that surround them.
Why I picked it up: This book looked interesting and had a premise that sounded solid to me. I had given up the Audible subscription, so I found this one through the public library system.
My impressions: This book had a lot going for it and I was quite enjoying it until the last fifth of the book. Then things took a supernatural turn and it got sad and kind of creepy. It's the sort of children's lit mystery/adventure that I generally enjoy, with the exception of that last bit. I enjoyed that the book explores Milo's relationship with his adopted parents, as well as his thoughts about and longings for knowing his birth family. The world is both familiar and strange, with recognizable everyday technology but also a lack of standard electronic devices and underground smuggling rings. There is even unique lore for whatever part of the world this is, although one of the tales mentioned something about the devil. There were layers to this tale, and it's a bummer that it left me uncomfortable with exploring the series more. I'm not recommending this book or the series that stems from it, but there were parts of it that I really enjoyed. It was the parts that I disliked that keep me from pursuing the series any further.
The Well-Read Mom, by Marcie Stokman
The founder of the Well-Read Moms book club movement reflects on why reading well - and reading with friends - is important for women.
Why I picked up this book: I ended up getting this book for free (after asking) when I joined Well-Read Moms halfway through the current year.
My impressions: A gal pal and I went to a talk by Marcie Stokman in February, and at first, this book seemed like a rehash of Marcie's talk. It is, and yet it is more than that. The book fit cozily in with all the other reading I've been doing about reading over the last year. I'm definitely planning on drawing from this book if/when I have the chance to do a professional development seminar about the joys of reading. In fact, that was what I loved about this book. Besides talking about the useful benefits of reading classics with friends, Stokman spent time talking about how it's important to just enjoy reading. Just enjoy reading - we don't really talk about that sort of thing in school because we're so focused on students learning the decoding and comprehension skills they need. I can see myself rereading this book just to reread it, even outside of my professional interest in it. I think it's a great book for anyone to read who just wants to read more in their lives. This book clearly operates through the lens of joining a Well-Read Moms group, but there's a lot of good stuff for those (especially women) who wished they read more on a daily basis.
Honey for a Child's Heart Updated and Expanded: The Imaginative Use of Books in Family Life, by Gladys Hunt with Mark Hunt*
An advocate of reading aloud discusses the important role good stories have in forming children, and includes an extensive list of recommended books to read silently or aloud.
Why I picked up this book: I've heard this book mentioned multiple times by the hostess of The Read Aloud Revival podcast. One day, a misadventure of locking myself out of my house while picking up a secondhand table plopped me at a local chocolate shop to beat the heat while I waited for my husband to get home. I got on my local library's electronic app as an ebook, and I decided to take a chance on it.
My impressions: This is another good book that explores the importance of reading - and reading aloud - and includes a sweet list of recommended books. I'll start with the book lists: they are extensive and take up probably 40-50% of the book itself, and include short descriptions for some, as well as indicators marking award-winners. I added several books to my to-read list, and I can verify that, while I'd heard of some books before, many were brand-new to me. Now, I'll go back to the first half, which discusses the importance of reading aloud. I typed out almost two Word document pages of quotes, and I plan to reference this book if/when I develop a professional development talk about reading out loud with students. Overall, I found Hunt's approach to reading and types of books balanced and creditable. She definitely has a Christian worldview, and this is evidenced by her chapter dedicated to the importance of reading the Bible aloud. She talked about her family's experience of reading the Bible aloud in a way that reminded me of my experience praying the Rosary with her family. It wasn't something the kids ever really complained about doing, or saw as overly pious, because it was just something that her family did every day. I believe that reading the Bible as a family at breakfast absolutely worked for her family; however, I'm not sure how it would go in my own. Her description of their process didn't quite convince me, so I'm trying to figure out how much of my questioning is the result of me just not being as familiar with pulling out the Bible every day to begin with. However, I am more convicted of my need to read God's Word more often because of this chapter. Finally, I appreciated that this is an updated version of the book, because it addresses cultural issues that have come up in the last several years. This is a great book for those nerds like me who love to read about reading and want some more children's lit book recommendations. I might look into her other book, Honey for a Teen's Heart, at some point.
P.S. Isn't it funny how finishing one intimidating book on my Kindle suddenly led to me reading another one? I think I felt like I couldn't read other ebooks until the one I'd been low-key working on for two years was done.
Pax, by Sara Pennypacker**
War forces Peter and the fox, Pax, apart, but Peter endures great pain and growth in his effort to reunite with his pet, while Pax learns how to survive in a wilderness made more dangerous by battle-hungry humans.
Why I picked it up: I remembered this book's sequel being recommended somewhere, and since this audiobook was available through the local public library while I wait (#38 in line) for an audiobook version of Hillbilly Elegy, it seemed like a good place to start.
My impressions: This is an engaging story - part survival, part inward journey. The characters felt very real to me, and I appreciated the growth that many of them experience. One character mentioned a Buddhist principal a time or two, and there was discussion of "discovering the truth about yourself" that seemed like it might lend itself to self-definition, but other than that, I didn't notice anything more problematic about the worldviews of the characters. I mean, Peter does run away, and there are complex relationships with family members, but it was that subtle message of possible self-definition and explicitly mentioning a Buddhist principle (rather than a Christian one) that I took greater note of. There's some more difficult scenes, and animal lovers or sensitive readers might have a harder time with this book. The good writing allowed the author to hint rather than say some things outright, so while I know I caught those things as an adult, I'm not sure how much a child reading it would pick up on. I don't know if I'd recommend this book or not - it was good, but it wasn't one that I feel everyone needs to read right away so we can talk about it. I think middle school readers would appreciate this one, but parents might want to screen it ahead of time.
Toliver's Secret, by Esther Wood Brady
When Ellen's grandfather injures himself, she takes on the role of Revolutionary spy to carry a secret message to George Washington's followers - by disguising herself as a boy.
Why I picked it up: Sarah Clarkson mentioned in The Lifegiving Home that this book is a good one to read if people are visiting the American Northeast region for vacation. I found it at the main branch of my local library (yay for free books!).
My impressions: This is a fun tale for young readers (and a quick one for adults - I finished this in the space of just a day or so). It isn't quite as excellent as some other children's historical fiction, at least for establishing a sense of the world as it might have been at that time, but it was plenty believable and enjoyable for me. There is one downside, and it is that, in our very confused world, the fact that Ellen disguises herself as a boy might come across weird. The book doesn't handle it weirdly at all - it is believable that a boy running around docks or making his way on a long journey by himself wouldn't attract as much attention in that time and place as a girl would. I appreciated that, in the end, Ellen felt empowered to take care of problems by herself, but it wasn't in a forced or feministic way - it was just a natural result of finding she was capable when needs arose. I found that one reference was made to bells being hidden during the time of the war, but there was no explanation given - I had to look up information on that, so it shows that one or two things could have been fleshed out a little bit more for the reader. Overall, it was a fine book and one that would likely be enjoyable for elementary readers.
True Grit, by Charles Portis
A 14-year-old girl hires a U.S. marshal with a shady history and accompanies him in tracking down the man who killed her unarmed father.
Why I picked it up: This was a book that my group agreed that we would read for our next meeting. It was at my alma mater's library, the only library I suspect I'll have any luck with checking out the books for this group, if they're available. The public library's copies are always on hold three or four people out when it's time to read them, I've found.
My impressions: This is a story that I've managed to watch two movie adaptations of prior to reading. The movies are faithful to the story. I don't think I've ever encountered a story quite like it. It is original, the dialogue sounds stilted but it works for what I imagine an old-timey Arkansas might sound like. The characters are flawed and memorable and this makes for a really unique read. I don't think it's the best book ever, but it sure was interesting. Even though the story is pretty straightforward, I feel like there could be more happening at a deeper level that I just haven't caught on to. At most, I think my most profound thoughts are that Mattie is somewhat intrenched in the leanings of her personality by this excursion, but she also displays an unstated but fierce loyalty. And it's not wrapped up completely neatly at the end. Due to the violence and questionable actions and of the characters, this book would probably be best for adult readers, although I imagine high schoolers could enjoy this pretty well. It's a pretty solid pick if someone is looking for a Western.
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis, by J. D. Vance**
The memoirs of a man who grew up in a hillbilly family and his observations on his life and breaking out of the cycle of poverty and violence he was heir to.
Why I picked it up: One of my good friends told me about this book years ago - and she had learned a lot from it. I may have checked it out from the library a while back, but never cracked it open. However, once I realized the author is the running mate for President Trump in this year's presidential election, I knew I had to try it for real.
My impressions: This book is a great look inside the workings of poor, working class individuals and families in the Rust Belt region of the United States. I recognize that no individual is free of bias and that Vance's assessment of the culture he hails from may not be infallible, but it certainly has the ring of truth. He takes a good, hard look at his family, his "hillbilly" culture, and himself. I had heard of some isolated features of this subculture (major feuds based on honor, like the Hatfield-McCoy grudge), but this book shows what this feature - and many others - look like as they play out in real life. Vance certainly comes across as someone who not only has done a lot of research through personal study, but he's also someone who has strong ethos because he has lived the poverty and adversity he considers. Some parts of this book were unsettling and there was great sadness, but he also shows how certain factors created opportunities to succeed where so many of his peers succumbed in similar circumstances. The memoir gives a good background of where the V.P. hopeful comes from, as well as what life is like for some people who don't come from comfortable middle-class backgrounds. This memoir is really for adults, largely because of the adult content that pervades Vance's tale, such as drugs, bad language, and broken relationships. However, I also believe that this is a memoir that many adults will appreciate, regardless of politics. It is a tale of overcoming and a long, deep look into the lives of some of the most desperate and vulnerable people in America today.
Bracket Play
Here we go!
Round 1: I put Bishop Barron's book on the Eucharist in the spot that had no competition. Of the two nonfiction Audible books I zipped through at the beginning of the month, I thought Different was the book that impacted me more and compassionately looks at the lived experiences of a child with a host of difficulties facing him and a parent who walked alongside him as he grew. The two fiction Audible listens from early July resulted in a win for Madeleine Takes Command, even though Paddle-to-the-Sea had its own merits. The suspense of the first book, the plot, and its nuanced look at attitudes and actions of characters from differing races, made it a clear win for me. The book about Joan of Arc beat the outdated and less compelling book about ordinary time feasts and holy days, although I'm glad I read the latter. Pax was fine and probably better written, but I didn't enjoy it as much as Toliver's Secret, the book to which I gave the win. Portis' Western classic blew away its competition, as did J. D. Vance's memoir (no thank you to unexpected supernatural weirdness in cozy children's books!). It was hard for me to decide that last duel, since both books concerned reading and its formative influence. I ended up choosing Marcie Stokman's book since, if only for certain sections, I'm more likely to read it for enjoyment.
Round 2: Eight competitors now in this round. I have to admit to feelings of guilt for not choosing the book about the Eucharist, and I recognize this happens almost every time I choose a nonreligious book over a solid Catholic one. It does not mean that it's lacking or a bad book - I even noted that I learned from reading this work by Bishop Barron. However, the book by the Clarksons had a bigger emotional impact as well as giving me food for thought as I turn towards a new school year. Brill's book won over the Joan of Arc book - although I have loved St. Joan of Arc in my youth, it was hard to read about what really or most likely happened in her life, with many likely myths stripped away and kind of a stark focus on her suffering. True Grit beat the children's book - it makes sense that an established classic (and a pretty enjoyable one to read) would win. I went ahead and knocked out J. D. Vance's book; it was very good, but I connected more with the WRM book.
Round 3: Quarterfinalist winners were Madeleine Takes Command because it was so enjoyable to listen to. I would probably be open to reading or listening to Different again in the future, but it's not as likely to make it to my reread list. True Grit beat Stokman's book - the latter book was pretty good, but it just isn't as good as Portis' book.
Round 4: Finals: The children's book won. Again, I feel guilty about giving second place to a classic, but Brill's book was really good and I'm looking forward to sharing it with my future children, God-willing.
Summary
All four quarterfinalists are certainly worth reading, in my opinion (the WRM book may not appeal to guys as much), but I'd also like to note Hillbilly Elegy, Toliver's Secret, and Honey for a Child's Heart might be good for their respective target audiences.
