Here are the works I read in February, and how they did on my bracket:
Book Descriptions, Why I Picked Them, and My Impressions
St. John Bosco, by F. A. Forbes
This book is a biography of St. John Bosco, written by Mother Frances Alice Monica Forbes, a member of the Society of the Sacred Heart who wrote multiple books about the saints. The book describes John Bosco's life from birth until death, relating the general events of his life, as well as some miraculous stories and the incredible works he was able to accomplish by God's grace.
Why I picked it up: About a year ago, I saw a Facebook reminder that it was the feast of Saint John Bosco. Remembering some stories my Dad had told me about him while I was growing up, I decided to research him a little. I discovered that he founded the Salesians, an order named after another saint I've come to appreciate, St. Francis de Sales. The Salesian spirituality appeals to me because it has the flavor of St. Therese of Lisieux's "Little Way". Ever since then, I've been asking St. John Bosco for his intercession when I pray the Rosary. So a month ago, when I indulged myself in yet another $5 Tan book sale, I decided that I would purchase a book to learn more about the life of this saint who had caught my attention.
My impressions: This is a pretty straightforward biography with good content, but the writing style is not particularly memorable. I liked getting a view of his life and was inspired not only by his example, but by that of his mother. I was glad to read a saint biography again - it had been a while, and I always find them encouraging. It is a pretty quick read and gives the facts, but I'll probably look for a longer, more detailed book the next time I read about St. John Bosco. I would recommend this book to read and I think a middle-school-aged child would handle it alright.
The Other Side of Beauty, by Leah Darrow
Leah Darrow is a Catholic speaker and author and former "America's Next Top Model" contestant who shares her insights on beauty. She discusses the current beauty industry, its antagonism to human dignity, and calls for women to find their dignity, worth, and beauty in God.
Why I picked it up: I first encountered Leah Darrow's story when she spoke at a conference I attended a few years ago. I know she has a podcast, but it's not on my list of listening priorities. This book was one of the ten that I hope to get through before my Amazon Kindle Unlimited free trial expires.
My impressions: Leah's experiences, insights, and statistics are woven together, with her message of looking to God for fundamental worth taking the main spot. I have to admit that I expected more emphasis on her life or on the data and found myself wishing for more of the "story." It is a good book that would likely have a powerful impact on people who "needed" to hear her message, but I did not feel like it resonated too much with me at this time. I did skim a few parts because I did not feel they were really applicable to my own life, but there were a few pages I skipped because of some experiences she describes from her pre-reversion life. Not a must-read for some, but I would recommend this book comfortably to college-aged and older women (not really men), primarily if they struggle with the world's ideas on beauty. I think a high schooler could read this, but I would be cautious of a few sections.
Further Up and Further In, by Joseph Pearce
Joseph Pearce, a huge Inklings/Chesterton fan and Catholic convert, considers the meaning of the seven books in the Chronicles of Narnia series. He begins with an argument that this series is not just for children, but that adults can appreciate it, too. He looks at the stories one by one, going through them in chronological, not publishing/writing order (stating that the chronological order was the one preferred by the author himself). He discusses the stories and explores their depth.
Why I picked it up: This is another author I've heard speak, this time at an Inklings festival (yes, there's at least one festival that celebrates them!). I've read his autobiography ("Race With the Devil"; he's had a crazy interesting life) as well as some of his other books. This particular title also showed up on a Tan books $5 sale last summer, so I purchased it. I didn't get around to it until now because I felt that I needed a break from reading about my favorite authors and needed to just reread what they actually wrote. I opened it right after concluding my reread of the seven "Chronicles of Narnia" books.
My impressions: I actually disagree with Pearce's decision on reading order because Peter J. Schakel convinced me of his view in "The Way Into Narnia," another book that explores the series in a way similar to Pearce's. However, that's a discussion for another day. I found the first two chapters a bit of a drag because he did not need to convince me that children's literature, or stories in general, can be enjoyed by adults as well as by children. I already subscribe to that belief (and recognized many of the authors and passages he quoted while building his defense). All that aside, I think there is great merit in his analyses of the books. Pearce does incredible research and I enjoyed learning more about these works, especially about details such as Eustace's parents being described as Shavians and the subsequent implications for his character. I would definitely recommend this book to adult Narnia fans (specifically Catholic ones, as the author pulls from Catholic beliefs); young fans could enjoy this book, but perhaps not as much.
The Adventures of Geraldine Woolkins, by Karin Kaufman
This children's book follows episodes from the life of a "new mouse," Geraldine Woolkins, and the other creatures who live in her area. The vignette-style explores different ideas about growing up, courage, taking responsibility, and other lessons.
Why I picked it up: This is another book I can access for a short few weeks on Kindle Unlimited. I had seen it come up in "recommended for you" book lists before and, being a fan of children's literature and anthropomorphic animals, I decided now was the time to give it a try.
My impressions: I like an overarching plotline, so the vignette style didn't quite work for me. The morals were somewhat didactic, but I can understand why the author chose to write in that fashion. I found it interesting that the animals in Geraldine's world refer to and pray to God, and I have decided that I like that detail. Rather than moralizing from some general "natural law" viewpoint, I appreciate that the author decided to refer to God outright and give the book some solid Christian tones. There are some surprisingly intense scenes that involve being chased by hungry predators and/or some other kind of peril to life and limb. One of my biggest complaints is that Kaufman uses the word "hand" instead of "paw," but that's probably an expectation I carry over from my Redwall experiences. I will not be reading the second book any time soon since there are so many more books waiting for me that are higher priority, but I would readily recommend this book to just about anyone; it has good messages and can be understood easily by children, but the intensity of some sections might be frightening.
The Magician's Nephew, by C. S. Lewis
A young boy at the turn of the 20th century becomes entangled in his uncle's magical experiments. His adventure eventually leads to the creation of the world known as "Narnia."
Why I picked it up: I reread the Chronicles of Narnia series in writing order, not chronological order, and this was the next in line after "The Horse and His Boy."
My impressions: It is a good book; while not my favorite in the series, there were some parts I positively loved. Deserted buildings have always held a fascination for me, so the visit to the empty city of Charn was a treat for me to read. The scene in which Jadis tempts Digory to steal a fruit to save his mother is excellent; it boils down arguments any modern person might have for justifying an immoral action (e.g., yes, you made a promise, but you didn't know what you were promising; no one has to know; etc.) and makes them easy to recognize. This more overt style of writing used to really bother me when I was in high school and perhaps even in college, but I don't mind it so much now. There's lots more I could say, but I'll stop myself here for this book. I would highly recommend this book, but after having read at least "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe"; suitable for children at that reading level.
The Last Battle, by C. S. Lewis
The final book of the series describes the last days of Narnia and the end of that world.
Why I picked it up: It was the next and final book in the series.
My impressions: This book, and specifically the first half, was very hard for me to read. Perhaps I went into it expecting it to be as emotionally wrenching as it was the first (and only other time) I read it. Perhaps I was in a mood. Perhaps it's just hard to read about the abusive, utilitarian "friendship" shared by Puzzle the donkey and Shift the ape. In any case, I almost put the book down permanently about halfway through. Things started to improve, though, and I finished it at last. It is still my least favorite in the series, but I didn't feel my heart being ripped apart. I knew what was coming - (*spoiler alert*) that on the last page it is revealed that the Pevensies and everyone else really are dead, but living now in Paradise - and I think that was helpful. I think I handled it better because, having read the six other books in the weeks prior, I was able to experience that intense longing to return that the children had whenever they left Narnia - and now they would enjoy Narnia forever. I would recommend this book, but with the warning that it can be dark at times and, at least emotionally, hard to read.
Tournament Play
So how did things shake out in the bracket? Let's review:
I tried to pair up books that were similar, and that was a mistake; in sports brackets, the strongest team goes up against the weakest team first, and I did not follow that policy. If I had, "The Last Battle" would have made it past at least the first round.
In any case, "The Adventures of Geraldine Woolkins" and "The Other Side of Beauty" were easy to rule out. While both good in their own ways, they did not have an overall big effect on me. "The Last Battle" fell to "The Magician's Nephew" simply because I like one more than the other.
In the second round, "The Magician's Nephew" got a pass because it was higher seeded than the other books. "Further Up and Further In" won over the saint biography because Pearce's writing was nicely academic and engaging, while Forbes' book was solid, but a little bland.
In the championship game, "The Magician's Nephew" took the title because it seemed wrong to me that a book written about books should be better than one of the (very good) books it analyzes. "The Magician's Nephew" is a worthy winner because it has not only a good story, but an engaging style, memorable scenes, and themes that are extremely applicable in our own time.
