Book Stats for 2022 Pt. 2

 

Well, I got a little nervous. The blog site looked like it was having trouble posting, so I decided to make two posts for 2022 stats. See the rest of my thoughts here!

 Best in Genre

Continuing the trend of picking a "best in class"; there was, by necessity, some overlap here.

Spiritual Work (besides the Bible): Forming Intentional Disciples, by Sherry Weddell

Fiction (Fantasy): The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien

Fiction (Classic): The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, by Anne Bronte

Fiction (Historical): Twenty and Ten, by Claire Bishop

[Auto]Biography: A Song for Nagasaki, by Paul Glynn

Philosophy/Lit. Crit.: What Every Catholic Needs to Know about Literature, by Joseph Pearce

Nonfiction: For Women Only, by Shaunti Feldhahn

Reread (besides "Searching for and Maintaining Peace): The Great Divorce, by C. S. Lewis

It was nice to have some overlap after all; it allowed me to list two fantasy books (The Hobbit, The Great Divorce) as winners in different categories. The historical fiction winner surprised me - an extremely short story beat the much-hyped "Hannah Coulter" and the Newbery-award-winning "The Dark Frigate". But, it was the one that I enjoyed most and remember best.

Monthly Winners

January: The Reed of God

February: On the Incarnation

March: The Great Divorce

April: Forming Intentional Disciples

May: Happiness, God, and Man

June: The Discernment of Spirits

July: From Slave to Priest

August: Tenant of Wildfell Hall

September/October (non-Searching for...Peace): The Red Fairy Book

November: Be Healed

December: I, Juan de Pareja

There are only 11 winners here because I had to combine September and October's brackets. Five winners were spiritual, four fiction, one a biography, and one a literary criticism (which could also possibly be considered a spiritual work).

It feels weird looking at this book bracket for multiple reasons. First, it feels weird to have a fictional work with some fantasy elements win as the best book I read this year. Second, it's one of those situations where a different day could have resulted in a different winner. Third, the winner was a reread. Fourth, I know that this bracket does NOT represent some of the best books I read this year. Notable by their absence are "The Hobbit", "Song for Nagasaki", and "What Every Catholic Needs to Know About Literature". Unfortunately, these books didn't win during some months that had multiple incredibly strong reads. "The Hobbit" actually lost out to "On the Incarnation", but I think it's an example of a work that may have won if I'd written up the post on a different day. The two other books both lost out to "Forming Intentional Disciples". April had been a fantastic month for reading.

I think part of the reason why "The Great Divorce" won this year was because I felt some internal pressure to switch it up and not pick a "spiritual work" book. Is this arbitrary? Yes. But it also helped me reach my decision without too much vacillating. Weddell's work, "The Discernment of Spirits", and "I, Juan de Pareja" were (besides the excluded works mentioned in the previous paragraph) works that all could have taken home the grand prize this time.

So maybe I'll make my condensed reading recommendation list right here:

- What Every Catholic Needs to Know About Literature, by Joseph Pearce

- The Discernment of Spirits, by Timothy Gallagher

- The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien

- The Great Divorce, by C. S. Lewis

- I, Juan de Pareja, by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino

- Song for Nagasaki, by Paul Glynn

- Forming Intentional Disciples, by Sherry Weddell

If you have made to the end here: thank you! Thank you for spending some time to read through my thoughts on books I read over the last year.

 Book Stats for 2022

I'm at least initially going to try to follow the outline of last year's stats post. Who knows if I'll stick to it. I notice that for 2022, I'm compiling statistics well into the second month of the following year, whereas in 2021, I crunched numbers before the month of December had officially reached its end.

Totals

Last year, I typed out the total number of books I read each month, but how about I do graph instead this time? I realized I only had about three pie charts in last year's number post, and it would be nice to see this information visually, too. I'm even going to be able to compare it with 2021's counts.

I think the bar graph makes it look like I read many fewer books this year, but really, it was a total of 52 books, which is only 5 fewer than last year. It continues a downward trend from 2020, but if I remember correctly, I was crazy close to having read 100 books that year (thanks, pandemic). So perhaps I can cut myself some slack about the "downward trend".

Here are some other facts to consider:

Total number of books attempted, but put down that were noted: 5 (same as last year)

Percentage of books started and completed: 91% (same as the last two years)

Books being read, but not completed, at the end of 2022: I'm really not sure; probably at least 4

Percentage of books that were rereads: 15%, or 8 books total (compare with last year's 12 %, or 7 books)

And here's another pie chart...I think it makes more sense to look at it this way.

This is quite a difference from last year. The number of ebooks read on the Kindle decreased from 21% (12 books) in 2021 to a mere 6% (3 books) in 2022. The percentage of audiobooks increased heftily to 35% (18.5 books), up from a lowly 2% (1 book) last year. The book that was half-physical and half-audiobook was Twain's "Joan of Arc" because I was getting tired of reading it in tiny snippets during lunch breaks and decided that a public domain audiobook was the best way to finish what I heard would be a pretty difficult ending. Audiobooks saved my totals count, by the way. I simply didn't have time to sit down and actually read because I was so busy in 2022.

My Reflections On the Data So Far

I probably put down more books prior to finishing than I noted. It's just a suspicion, but it is possible I recorded every instance of an unfinished book. With having what felt like less time, I thought I would have been choosier about my reads, but then again, maybe I just didn't have time to take a chance on that many books to begin with. I can think of several that I intend to pick up again at some point, but just don't know when that will happen ("Planet Narnia",  "The Betrothed", and a philosophical work I can't think of the title of just now late [for me] on a Thursday night).

The number of works I read in the spring seemed greatly reduced compared with last year, but the deficit didn't end up being so bad with a comparably strong summer and a decent finish. I wish I could say the works I read or listened to were more substantial in subject and quality of writing, but I can't say that's true. That's alright, though. I've been busy.

Only a slight increase in the number of rereads this year, but they were pretty great rereads: the Bible; "Searching For and Maintaining Peace"; "Taggerung"; "The Hobbit"; "The Great Divorce"; the two "Princess and the Goblin" books by George MacDonald were all excellent and all most welcome reads. The only reread attempt that failed was "Triss" because I was irritated by the strong accent given to a major character.

Genre Data

I decided to not reinvent the wheel (accidental pun there) and kept my pie charts pretty similar to last year. Copy and paste in Microsoft Excel is a beautiful thing! Here is the breakdown of all the "books" (one was a manual) I read (or listened to) in 2022.

Compared with 2021, my fiction intake decreased 1% and my spiritual reading increased 7%. I'm pretty sure that Jessica from 2021 would be pleased with the increased amount of spiritual reading. However, I will say that many of the spiritual works were not what I'd call "theology" or "spiritual classics". More will come on those books later in the post. My reading of other genres all decreased 1-6%, depending on the genre. I'm not necessarily upset about this, but I would like to see a little more variety, especially considering that fiction still takes up just over half of my book-reading intake. In the next year, I hope to continue to read a good number of spiritual works, but it would be nice to know I'm expanding my tastes, learning things, and considering "big ideas" or more academic works. I like learning and it's good to push myself to do that a bit.

Spiritual Reading

This is the breakdown of the spiritual works I read. In this case, spiritual means "just about anything Catholic". I didn't include the biographies, all of which were about Catholics. I decided to have no overlap amongst genre titles this year.

The sub-genres within this genre changed somewhat from last year. I split apologetics from Catholic living, and combined the latter with "marriage" books because they seemed to go together well. I still have apologetics prayer, as previously, but I changed the blue subgenre from "Jesus, Mary, Saints, Witnesses" to "Bible, God, Mary, Witnesses". It feels a little bit like a catch-all category, but I think it goes together. It looks like I read fewer apologetics works - which I think is true - but that decrease is also exaggerated by separating it from Catholic living. I almost et the informal goal I set last year, of reading at least as many spiritual works this year as last year; I was two short this year, but I'm satisfied: I had a higher percentage of spiritual books read this year.

Fiction

How does one categorize an eclectic collection of fictitious works? I'm not entirely sure, but I did my best. I was pretty generous with the "classics" designation, but it allowed the "Other" catch-all category to diminish. Historical fiction was deemed to be any work that was written realistically about a past era. Some books that didn't seem to fit any category were a children's book about animals being scared by a scarecrow, an imaginative adventure involving Tolkien and company, a post-apocalyptic tale, an L.M. Montgomery tale, and a children's book set in the month leading up to Christmas. There was a lack of diversity in my other reading, but it was nice to see some variety in the fictional works.

It looks like fantasy fiction picks diminished, but I don't think it actually did - about four fantasy fiction works were subsumed into the "classics" category. It seems I managed to read more historical fiction this year. 

I'd like to read through one hefty work of fiction in this coming year - ideally, "The Betrothed". That may need to be my summer read!

 December 2022 Book Bracket

Well, it looks like this is the month of audiobooks! I haven't had much time to sit down with physical books due to finishing the details on wedding planning, but audiobooks have helped me keep up with my "reading". I am looking forward to my end-of-the-year summary, but it's very possible that that won't be happening until after the wedding next month.

*It looks like it was well after the wedding before I was able to finish this post. But that means that I'm closer to doing my end-of-year book review!

The Dark Frigate, by Charles Boardman Hawes**

English orphan Philip Marsham runs away to the sea, but finds himself in a difficult situation after boarding a ship.

Why I picked it up: I wanted a children's book and this one had been on my list; it was a Newbery Medal-winning work from 1923, meaning that it was available for free in the public domain. The Librivox recording was narrated by one individual and was good quality.

My impressions: This was a great sea-going adventure and had me ready for similar tales when I finished. I thought it took a while for the main character to make it to the sea, where the real action begins, but his landbound adventures were interesting, too. It was cool to see Philip make poor choices from time to time and still really like him as a character; I sometimes dislike seeing important characters have failures of judgment. Even after the climax, the author went to the trouble of tying up loose ends from earlier in the narrative. There's some wistfulness in the story that doesn't always come through in children's literature, but it's well done in hinting at "what might have been". I think this is a great story, particularly for those children and adults who enjoy adventures. There are some difficult moments for making moral choices, but the hero sticks to trying to do the good. I can't remember, but it is possible that, with pirates playing a role in the story, there may have been some colorful language.

Joan of Arc, by Mark Twain(**)

This fictional narrative chronicles the life of Joan of Arc through the experience of a close companion.

Why I picked it up: This book had been on my to-read list for a long time and I finally decided I needed to read it. I read most of it by physical book, but finished it via Librivox audiobook.

My impressions: I hate to say this, but I didn't love the book. It was interesting and had some fantastic writing by Twain - very unlike in subject to his other works - but I never reached a point in the book when I was just eating it up. I think, perhaps, that Twain treated Joan with too much hero-worship; she seemed distant to me. Sweet, innocent, with a will as hard as iron and a beautiful devotion to God, but Joan didn't seem relatable to me. I think that was my main issue with it; she was just too good. Isn't that silly of me? I imagine most saints are so close to God that, if I met one in person, I probably wouldn't feel like I could approach them - but in my life, I find the opposite is true for many saints - many are relatable and approachable and would be easy to talk to, I think. There are some great characters and I enjoyed seeing how a fictional narrative was built up around her story and helped flesh out what I imagine would have been bald historical facts. I think many people would enjoy this book or find it a worthy read, but I can't say that I'm planning to read this again.

I, Juan de Pareja, by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino**

Juan de Pareha, born a slave, serves a Spanish painting master and becomes an integral part of the family's life.

Why I picked it up: I looked at what audiobooks were available through the public library system's app and this one struck me as having good potential - Newbery Medal winner and under the "children's literature" (as opposed to just historical fiction or juvenile fiction) label.

My impressions: This was a great book. One got the feeling of what it could have been like to live in Spain during Medieval or Renaissance times, and what it would have been like to be a slave. THAT was an interesting and fresh take - one hardly, if ever, sees main characters of Renaissance tales who are slaves. I really appreciated that, while some Catholic characters are painted as very much less than perfect, there were several saintly characters mixed into the tale, too. This author did her research and seemed to have a good grasp even of what are necessary conditions for the sacrament of reconciliation to take place. The writing was beautiful, drawing on art and painting, as is proper. There was a gypsy character who was depicted as a non-virtuous person, so there was some concern about harmful stereotyping. This tale is based on historical persons, but as the author notes in the afterword, she took some liberties because of what is not known about the people described. This is a great book and I'd recommend it to just about any kid who was old enough to read at that level and was interested.

Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village, by Laura Amy Schlitz**

Medieval life is explored through monologues and dialogues of young folks living in feudal England.

Why I picked it up: This was another audiobook of another Newbery Medal-winning book available through the public library system app; this one was on my to-read list.

My impressions: This short work provided great snapshots into characters. It had the feel of Medieval times, although some of the characters seemed a bit Chaucerian and a little too over-the-top to be quite real. I was a bit bummed by the number of characters who seemed to have no problem with some dishonest work or sleight-of-hand, but again, I reflect this is perhaps a Chaucerian way of looking at the world - not afraid of showing the darker side of humanity. I appreciated some of the historical footnote-ish interjections that explained some elements that might be less familiar to young readers, but the explanations felt slightly biased - again, maybe it was the focus on how terrible people (specifically Christians) could be that made me feel a little threatened. Items discussed in these explanations included the abuse of Jews (although the author noted at least one pope spoke against anti-Semitism and banned certain cruel practices, which I appreciated), the Crusades, and pilgrimages (seemed maybe a little skeptical about healings). But, the characters were so full of life and hopes and fears and feelings and motivations. This could be a really cool little work to read, but with the caveat that some historical details might be good to discuss with kids in more depth.

Kilmeny of the Orchard, by L. M. Montgomery**

Eric takes over teaching at a small school on Prince Edward Island and, after he falls hard for the sweet, retiring, mysteriously mute Kilmeny, must overcome several obstacles to win her.

Why I picked it: I needed another audiobook, and this one was available through the public library.

My impressions: This is a solid fluff read, and unusual for L. M. insofar as the main character is not a female...but that doesn't keep the story from being equally about Kilmeny. The characters are for the most part pretty flat, and the attitude toward one adopted character was downright racist, but other than that glaring flaw, the audiobook was mostly an easy listen-to. It was like listening to a simpler, more direct version of Anne of Green Gables or Emily of New Moon or probably many of L. M.'s tales. That's not to say whether it's better or worse, but at least for me, I appreciated that it was a one-novel tale that cut out pretty much anything unnecessary to the tale...although a few of L. M.'s trademark soaring descriptions of nature might have snuck in. I also had a bit of natural interest in the story once I found out Kilmeny was mute, but for inexplicable reasons. If you can ignore the racist bits about one character, appreciate L. M. Montgomery's works, and don't want anything with too much substance, this book is probably right for you.

Book Brackets

It was hard to see that every book I "read" this month was actually an audiobook. "Joan of Arc" was a partial exception insofar as I read the first half of the book in a physical copy before I decided it was getting too hard to scrounge minimal reading time out of my work lunches. I arranged the bracket so that "The Dark Frigate" and "Joan of Arc" would beat out their competitors; but I enjoyed all these books I finished this month. Twain's work also took the second round, but couldn't beat out "I, Juan de Pareja". This was a great book, beautifully written, and very balanced and sensitive regarding its portrayal of Catholicism - yes, there were troublesome characters, but also wonderful and holy and humble ones. It's a book that I am glad to have read and would recommend others read as well. Also, it has the bonus of not being quite as painfully sad as Joan's tale, I think.

Books Put Down

Two Years Before the Mast, by Richard Henry Dana, Jr.**

A sailor chronicles what ship life is like for the common sailor.

Why I picked it up: After "The Dark Frigate", I was ready for some more adventure on the high seas! 

Why I put it down: Shortly after I started this audiobook, I realized it was very long and it would likely not have any plot. There are so many more books I want to read, so I figured it was okay for me to let this one pass and remove it from my "To Read" list.

When You Trap a Tiger, by Tae Keller**

This recent Newbery Medal-winner follows a meek girl, her mother, and her sister as they move in with their grandmother, who immigrated from Korea to the U.S.; and tigers from grandmother's tales start showing up in the area.

Why I picked it up: Newbery Medal winner; accessible audiobook through the public library; looked and sounded interesting.

Why I put it down: I didn't love the writing style, which struck me as being a little darker and gloomier - there wasn't joy and wonder. I wasn't enjoying it, so I looked up a synopsis and I'm glad I called it quits. It would have been a pretty good time investment to listen to the whole thing with a small chance of enjoying it later on in the story. I've run into this situation before - just because the book is an award-winner doesn't mean I'm going to love it.

Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli**

A girl new to high school realizes that she will be happiest not by fitting in with the crowd, but by being herself.

Why I picked it up: I'd seen this book recommended on a list somewhere and had foggy memories of maybe liking "Maniac Magee" by the same author; I was in need of an audiobook and figured I'd give it a try.

Why I put it down: It was one of those stories I could tell I wasn't going to enjoy. I didn't like the tone, or the catty high school attitudes, or what seemed to me an unrealistic, school-wide, long-term obsession with an unusual student. I ended up reading the Wikipedia summary and I'm glad I stopped listening. It's a book with a message that some people probably need to encounter, but I don't need it in my life.

 

November Book Bracket 2022

The craziness of life continues, but audiobooks and lunch breaks help keep reading a part of it.

Taggerung, by Brian Jacques

This book by prolific young adult serial author Jacques follows a skilled warrior otter, kidnapped and raised in a vermin clan from infancy, after he leaves to pursue what is right and learn about his origins.

Why I picked it up: I was stressed by work and had a mild craving for a children's book from my childhood. It had been a while, but dipping into it again initially was filled with all the comfort I was hoping for.

My impressions: I still think that this is one of, if not the finest, book that Jacques wrote. It's not quite the straightforward adventure that the other Redwall tales are - there are no major battle sequences, the main bad guy is a coward to the core, there is no Abbot or Abbess - but those elements all worked in this particular story. The Juska clan code was well-developed and contributed greatly to the world-building. It was also interesting to have the main character tracked by a group of the enemy, and to see the power dynamics playing out amongst them. The main character is rather flat, but some of the other characters have solid depth. The mystery being solved at the Abbey was not robust - certainly one of the weakest riddle sequences in the series, and therefore a weak element - but it served well to show how one character was right for taking on a certain role at the end of the book. The ending was great - an enemy shows up at the Abbey's door and almost jumps into a battle, but the evils of war are providentially held at bay. As a speech-language pathologist, I appreciate that one of the characters is shown struggling with stuttering and overcoming it (although not with the best research-backed therapy, though!). It is a dear, delightful book, and children who can handle violence and death in fantasy fiction could appreciate this adventure - hopefully as much as I do. Warning: there are some seers who cast omens and a character with a weird healer persona that some could find uncomfortable if they're sensitive about that.

Saint George for England, by G. A. Henty**

This historical fiction book follows Walter Somers (spelling?) as he battles for England against the French and wins honor and renown.

Why I picked it up: I've read people recommend author G. A. Henty for years and I think this was the first work of his that I encountered on Librivox.

My impressions: The first several chapters are pretty good - story driven, with all the trappings of history to help make it feel more real. However, by the middle of the book, the author spends a lot of time describing battles pretty flatly. Yes, there are some escapades the main character and his man-at-arms get into that are more interesting and related to the story, but they are episodic and feel like they take back seat to the battles at times. I guess I would say that the "historical" part of "historical fiction" weighs a little to heavily on the tale. I like action, but the fighting was not necessarily page-turning...it felt, perhaps, a bit more like "stick-to-the-facts," if that makes sense. The denouement was a bit long and not as compelling as it would have been if the tale had perhaps ended earlier, but the author did a good job of tying up loose ends. There may be a more nationalistic attitude present in the work than there typically is in modern writing, but that is also fitting for the story. It was certainly an interesting read considering that I had put down "Joan of Arc" prior to listening to this work and that I've picked it up again after finishing. If I'm correct, "Saint George for England" describes an earlier part of the Hundred Years War between England and France, and from the "other side", so it makes me curious how a French author with a similar attitude would have written the account. I think those who enjoy adventures and tales of knights could find some parts of this enjoyable, but it's not necessarily the quality of story that I like to read.

Twenty and Ten, by Claire Huchet Bishop

This very short tale (short novella, long short story) tells of twenty fifth-grade French students who help hide ten Jewish children during the second World War.

Why I picked it up: I caught a library sale with my fiance while we were visiting his hometown and this looked like a pretty good find. I read it when I did probably because it was taking forever to read books (due to limited free time) and this looked like a children's book with potential.

My impressions: This was a very fast read - I basically finished it in a day, and probably would have in just a matter of hours if I had read through from start to finish. It was short, sweet, to the point, and interesting. Things at the end were tied back to the opening sequence, which was some pretty tight storytelling in that respect. I wouldn't say this is a sad book, but there are some moments of tension, especially around the climax. I wouldn't say it's perfectly written, but it's a great read if you're short on time and just want to soak in a different time and place for a bit. This book would be fine for children and even for adults who just wanted a light read.

Be Healed, by Bob Schuchts

A therapist, through a Catholic lens, discusses what it takes for us to be truly healed of our wounds, and not just treat the symptoms.

Why I picked it up: This book came up at a retreat I went on in January. Eventually, after hearing people mention it enough times on the podcast the author cohosts, I ordered it and started reading.

My impressions: This is a great book for people who seek healing - especially from a Catholic perspective, but I think Christians can find good in it, as well, in spite of some more Catholic-specific topics, like sacraments. I can't say my life has been radically changed from it yet, but there's some very good stuff in this book. I was intrigued by the real-life stories and appreciated that there are prompts and questions for meditation. I would recommend this book to Catholics in general, but perhaps more specifically for those who are actively seeking healing.

Bracket Play

Four books makes for a nice, neat little bracket! "Taggerung" and "Be Healed" both won the first rounds easily, although "Twenty and Ten" was very good. Bob Schucht's work ended up taking the prize because it invites people into deeper relationship with God and can be an instrument of healing. I love Taggerung, but at the end of the day, I don't think it's going to change people's lives like I suspect Schucht's work can.

 September-October Book Bracket 2022

My reading really dropped off in the thick of school and wedding planning. I miss reading. But it's worth it to miss it right now - and I still managed to squeeze in a few reads.

Searching For and Maintaining Peace, by Fr. Jacques Philippe

Catholic spiritual master explains the importance of keeping our souls at peace and how that can be done.

Why I picked it up: I don't remember what prompted this reread, but something had happened; I was anxious; it had been a while since I'd read it; it was time to read it again.

My impressions: I'm not going to really review this book, but it's excellent. Most excellent. Top notch. Everyone should read it.

The Red Fairy Book, by Andrew Lang**

This collection of fairy tales from the famed series was a favorite of J. R. R. Tolkien's growing up. It has classics such as "The Twelve Dancing Princesses", "Jack and the Beanstalk", and "Rapunzel".

Why I picked it up: This was the book agreed upon by me and my book-club-of-two friend. We'd just finished "Tolkien's Modern Reading" and decided that a children's book that had apparently influenced him was the right pick. I started this as an ebook, but quickly transitioned to free audiobook for the sake of convenience.

My impressions: This is a solid collection of fairy tales, with a few very-well-known ones and a myriad of unusual ones. Yes, there were some problematic spots with racist elements here and there, and one story that talked about someone passing by people who looked like they'd died by suicide, so there might be some concerns with setting any and all readers loose on this work. The last story was based on a classic tragedy and it didn't change the ending to make it happy - it was very sad. Some of the stories had elements similar to each other, but many were strange and fascinating and unique. This work was fine as an audiobook, but some of the readers were difficult to understand at the fast rate I listen at. This would be a great book of fairy tales for a family to read together.

The Catholic Church and Conversion, by G. K. Chesterton**

G. K. Chesterton wrote this work because of his conversion to the Catholic faith. In it, he discusses the negative attitudes towards and some outright lies about the Church that ran rampant in society in his day.

Why I picked it up: I saw it advertised in an Ignatius press catalogue and was able to find it as an audiobook in the public domain.

My impressions: GKC is himself again in this work and discusses the erroneous thinking or perceptions of those antithetical to the Catholic Faith. This is another work that I think I would have soaked in better if I had actually read it, rather than listened to it. There were still moments of relishing Chesterton's wit for me, but I felt that listening to his non-fiction is not the best way for me to enjoy his work. This is a very short work - about 5 or 6 of his essays put together, I suppose - so it's a pretty quick read. I think any GKC lover could get something out of his work.

Bracket Play

Friends, I'm not doing a bracket for these two months. There were only three books, and I would have pitted only two against each other - "Searching For and Maintaining Peace" is basically a repeat winner so it's going to limit the chances of other books if it competes every time I read it - which is often. I am also strapped for time with a wedding coming up and already being over halfway into November and I don't want to get too far behind on that post.

So, let's have it: "The Red Fairy Book" or "The Catholic Church and Conversion"? That's hard and hardly fair to have to choose between two very different books. I think that, even though GKC's work is great, "The Red Fairy Book" has to win because it has, perhaps, a more approachable feel to it. I think GKC, being childlike and one to appreciate fairy tales himself, would be glad with the outcome.

August Book Bracket 2022

 August Book Bracket

Chosen and Cherished: Biblical Wisdom for Your Marriage, by Kimberly Hahn

Wife of well-known Catholic author/professor shares her own insights into marriage using a Biblical base.

Why I picked it up: This book was a lovely and thoughtful birthday gift from a sister-in-law and I wanted to read it before I got married.

My impressions: This is a great book for engaged (or single) women to read. I ended up with about half a dozen sticky notes poking from the pages, marking the different sections I knew I'd want to revisit. Hahn interwove solid theological reflections with practical suggestions. The reflection questions that pop up every few chapters or so provide great food for prayer time in the adoration chapel. The author came across as an experienced older sister or relative who has seen a lot and therefore knows a lot - and I appreciated learning from her wisdom. I will say that I think Hahn made some assertions that don't have a strong base. She hearkens to Proverbs 31, for example, to make what seemed to me an argument for the woman being mother at home and not working in the world - several later segments took on the assumed position that the wife would be ministering to children at home. Now that I'm removed from the experience of the first time reading it, I don't think that she pushed it super hard - but I did find it hard to swallow that we are assuming it's better for women to be at home than to be working. Okay, yes, it does seem ideal to have a mother at home caring for young children rather than having other people raise them for so much of their early lives. Yes. However. As a woman who thinks she might possibly go crazy if she didn't work outside the home, that's hard for me to get on board with. I think there's something to be said for individual family dynamics and jobs through which women still minister in very real ways to others (like my own, in which I serve children in a school setting). Long objection - I think the influence of modern culture on myself is showing. In any case, I think this is a great book overall, especially for Catholic women getting ready for marriage who could use some adoration-time reflection material. I highly recommend this book to such women; I hope to reread at least parts of this book; and I think I might gift a copy of this to friends who become engaged in the future.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, by Anne Bronte**

This classic work of literature describes the life of a woman who entered into an emotionally abusive marriage and escaped with her son, all while doing her best to maintain her integrity.

Why I picked it up: A dear friend recommended this book years ago - probably while I was an undergraduate college student. I needed another book to carry me into prepping for the schoolyear again, so I found a free Librivox audiobook version. I finally "read" it, friend!

My impressions: This book blows away Wuthering Heights and kept me wondering how things were going to turn out. I thought that the narrator (Gilbert) came across as a pretty emotional and sappy fellow sometimes, and immature to boot - so he was not the strongest character. However, I thought the tale was very well constructed, starting with a happening-now-in-real-time (or more at least, more recently) epistolary story, progressing to an epistolary/diary tale for the middle part, and ending with a conclusion to the happened-more-recently story (still in epistolary form, I think). It was kind of story-inception, then, but the epistolary form for the happening-more-recently story worked because the narrator was able to drop foreshadowing to his fictional reader, while the diary absolutely made sense for that part of the story. Anne Bronte's genius for describing an emotionally abusive love interest blew me away. I've been blessed to never have had that experience myself, but I took an interpersonal communication class that covered this sort of thing in detail. I will say that Arthur presented with pretty much every red flag ever - all this before psychology and profiles for narcissists really came into their own - this was all Bronte's own observations or knowledge of humanity. She hit it spot-on. But, even better of her uncanny ability to portray such a relationship inevitably going off the rails, I loved how the main character, Helen, strove to maintain her fidelity and integrity throughout her trials. She never settled for the immoral route, or at least tried her best not to. She withstood incredibly difficult temptations to actions which many other characters told her would have been completely justifiable given her circumstances. But no: she held strong. And (spoiler alert!) she ended up with her happy ending. This is the Bronte book that I wish was better known - certainly much more than Wuthering Heights. This might be a difficult book for some people to read - I'm imagining those who have had experience with abusive relationships - but it is so very good. It would probably be appropriate for the right high school readers and adults. Even though it's a book I think women are more likely to like, I think men could benefit greatly from reading this book as well - it's got something for all of us in it, I think.

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, by Judith Kerr

This semi-autobiographical work covers two years of life in different countries for a family of Jews who flee Germany just before the Nazis come to power.

Why I picked it up: This book came into my possession sometime when another teacher was getting rid of books and I wanted to find out what such a strangely-named book was about.

My impressions: Spoiler - no, Hitler did not literally steal a pink rabbit toy. The author did a great job of describing the mind of a child. Childish understandings and lifelike descriptions of things such as dreams and arguments really helped me get into the mind of the main character, even though it was in third-person narration (which I do very much enjoy). There were several parts that I thought were very dark - including a tale related by a character about how someone went mad in a concentration camp (not the fact that it happened so much as the description of how it happened) and the story of the suicide of a dear family friend related by the friend's neighbor. Those parts were very sad and would have the potential to make this book a no-go for some sensitive children. There was not much plot to the story, but watching the family's fortunes change in different countries helped keep my interest. Characters were well unique and well-developed. This could be a good book for upper elementary-aged readers, so long as they and/or parents are aware that there are a few troubling parts included (mentioned above).

The Consolation of Philosophy, by Boethius**

This classic allegory walks through a dialogue between the imprisoned Boethius and Lady Philosophy as they discuss the ups and downs of fortune.

Why I picked it up: This is one of those works that I figured I just had to read sometime - lots of podcasters, etc., reference it and I wanted to read it (listen to it) for myself.

My impressions: Warning: I'm writing this review the first day of November, so it's been a hot minute since I finished listening to this work. Yes, I listened to as a Librivox audiobook, and I don't think that's the way to get the most out of this work. I was able to zone out sometimes because it's not a gripping work like "The 39 Steps". So, I've established it's not the most exciting work. However, it had some good things going for it, including the personal side of the work - it's a philosophical work, but the author places himself as the main character in this dialogue. It was interesting to get a flavor of the political machinations and the personal successes and sufferings of the author as he discussed his turn in fortune with Lady Philosophy. In some ways, I feel it maybe has a mixture of philosophy and theology, because it very clearly operates from a Christian worldview. I'd recommend this work, but not necessarily to everyone. I'd say it was important for scholars and students in a liberal arts education to be familiar with (and other students, but I'm sure it would be a harder sell). It might also benefit people who are going through a really rough time as it could help them to view their life situations through the lens of some ancient wisdom.

Bracket Play

The first round went quickly, with the less captivating works falling easily to the true contenders. Both finalists could have taken the win, but the fictional work wins because the story stuck with me more than the helpful and most excellent reflections of Kimberly Hahn. It is unfortunate, but I'm just going to have to reread "Chosen and Cherished" to really soak it in. That's not a bad thing, and it's probably going to be recommended to my friends more often than "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall". Both are great books and I highly recommend both.

 July 2022 Book Bracket

Lots going on this month, but thanks to a variety of book types and consumption methods, I was still able to fit in a few.

Ronia, the Robber's Daughter, by Astrid Lindgren

The eponymous heroine comes to know, hate, and then befriend the son of a rival robber band.

Why I picked it up: I was working through a good but dense academic work and needed a quick break. I had received this book as a birthday gift from my younger sister after it had been on my "to-read" list for a while.

My impressions: This is a book that, at least in genre specifics, defies description. Yes, it is a children's book - a chapter book - but beyond that, it is hard to categorize. It is part fairy-tale insofar as it features mythical creatures like harpies and author-created rumphops, but it has none of the classic fairy tale story elements. It is a story that happened in the past, but it has no definite dates or locations, so it's not historical fiction. Certain sequences discuss the tasks necessary to survive in a cave in a forest, but it's not a survival guide. I suppose this book is a general sort of "adventure" with an interesting mix of elements. The book is unusual in that Ronia's family, though loving, has a disreputable trade - that of robbing travelers. I am not used to children's books where the family is not morally upstanding, I suppose! But the robbing is never glorified - two of the most important characters question it and refuse to follow that line of work. It was, at times, a bit of a wild ride due to the extremes of emotions some characters experienced and the unusual situation of the characters, but a few parts were a bit slow. This would probably be a fun read for a child and children's-literature-loving-adults like me, but there were a few occasions of borderline questionable language for a young audience. I might end up reading the book again sometime, but I don't anticipate it will end up on the shelf of "beloved children's books".

The Word on Fire Bible: Gospels

This is the first release of the evangelizing Word on Fire ministry's massive multi-volume Bible project.

Why I picked it up: I wanted to own this beautiful Bible.

My impressions: This (Catholic) Bible is quite excellent! It's a slightly different translation than the one I'm used to, but that made it interesting to note slight differences in the text. I love excerpts pulled from works by well-known Catholic theologians and authors, including Church fathers such as St. Augustine, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, G. K. Chesterton, and Bishop Robert Barron. Longer essays punctuated the volume and provided deeper insights into some key texts. I especially loved the full-color reproductions of works of sacred art that included a short explanation of how the work is connected to the Gospel passage being depicted as well as notes about artistic composition. I would highly recommend this Bible to any Catholic.

Charis in the World of Wonders, by Marly Youmans**

A teenage girl named Charis in pre-Revolutionary War Massachusetts escapes massacre and the dangers of the wilderness to make a new life for herself in a sometimes dangerous colonial society.

Why I picked it up: The book first caught my interest as I perused the Ignatius Press catalogue, so when I saw the ebook was on sale, I snatched it up.

My impressions: I enjoyed reading the book - a mix, it seemed, of historical fiction and fairy tale - but still have mixed feelings about it. Or, perhaps, I'm still sorting out my thoughts on it. Well-researched, and certainly beautifully written by a poet/novelist, it portrayed multiple dynamic characters of depth and development. The Catholic French, who make just a few appearances in the story and character's thoughts, were portrayed as vicious, but that isn't surprising considering that the main character, a Puritan, suffered great loss at the hands of the Native Americans and their French allies. I do find it interesting that Ignatius Press, a Catholic publishing company, sells this book. I had to skim a few parts - some just a little too depressing, and some a little too borderline as far as appropriateness goes for me. Nothing was, I'd say, graphic, but the romance was a little strong and more intense intimacy talked about pretty baldly a few times. Some of the scenes of violence were disturbing, so all that combined would have me saying that really maybe only adults should be reading this book...which is strange, because much of it reads like books like "Johnny Tremain", a children's historical fiction book set in a similar time period. Lots of deep thoughts and complex emotions are explored, including lots of loss and coming to terms with death. I will warn prospective readers that there is a suicide in this book. The atmosphere of this work was well-woven and quite believable. As stated earlier, I'd recommend this book only to adults, and that with the warning that they still might find it an emotionally trying work that could require skimming here and there. I wouldn't be surprised if I looked into the author's other works at some point.

Stories of the Saints, by Carey Wallace; illustrated by Nick Thornborrow

An illustrated book shares short tales of saints through the ages, beginning with Roman martyrs and ending with Mother Teresa.

Why I picked it up: A friend gave me this lovely book as a belated Christmas present. I ended up reading one or two stories at a time before turning off the light for bed.

My impressions: Overall, this is a pretty neat take on the children's hagiography compendiums I sometimes read as a child. The shorter length of these stories make them readable in short chunks, like what one might read a child as a bedtime story. There were a few mistakes in a few of the stories and/or illustrations, such as stating Fra Angelico is a saint (he isn't yet) and including too many of a certain item in an illustration. Some of the illustrations really wowed me (e.g., the Fra Angelico illustration was done in the style of one of his own paintings), and some didn't do much for me or came off as creepy. I appreciated that there was an illustration for every saint included in this book. Another likeable feature was the information box that precluded the story; included in the box were (estimated) dates of the years the saint lived, location, items or images associated with the saint, patronages, and feast day. One thing I would have liked would to be know which saint stories were based more on legend and which had historical evidence or accounts. One last thing that rubbed me wrong a bit at the beginning was that the focus at times seemed more on the deeds of the saint with little attention to God. However, I think that with a subheading like "Bold and Inspiring Tales of Adventure, Grace, and Courage", it isn't surprising that the author really dwells on the "exciting" story elements. In conclusion, I think this book would be fine for kids to read, but just with the knowledge that some illustrations may be a little creepy for young readers, there are a few inaccuracies, and the stories of necessity are very truncated hagiographies.

From Slave to Priest, by Sr. Caroline Hemesath, S.S.F.**

This biography details the life of Father Augustine Tolton, the first black priest to serve in his native country, the United States of America.

Why I picked it up: This audiobook from formed.org seemed of interest when I needed a break from podcasts.

My impressions: I am glad to now know the story of Father Augustine Tolton. This book did a great job of portraying the hardships Father Tolton encountered during his life, both in the struggle to gain acceptance to the seminary, and after ordination in his diocesan ministry. It is rough to see the racism of United States Catholics in action at that time, especially compared to the respect shown to Father Tolton in Rome, and to wonder how much change has happened in the American Catholic Church since then. "Perseverance" is probably the word most suited to this amazing priest. Fr. Tolton is deemed a "Venerable" in the canonization process as of 2019, and I hope that I may celebrate his canonization in the future. I recommend this book to American Catholics, especially if someone is needing a saint biography fix.

If Your Mind Wanders at Mass, by Thomas Howard**

The significance of the different parts of the Mass are explained and pondered.

Why I picked it up: The ebook has been languishing on my list for a long time - I even started it once and couldn't get very far into it. When I saw it was a relatively short audiobook on formed.org, I decided to listen to it to squeeze in one extra book for the month.

My impressions: The best way to experience this book is, I think, to read it and ponder it, perhaps in adoration. As an audiobook, it was easy for my mind to wander (which is a terrible irony, considering the name). There were lots of great explanations about the beauty and importance of the Mass, but listening to it was not the way to encourage deep reflection on it. In some ways, I found myself wishing for more details - like what I learned about in middle school, including technical names, the positioning of the priest's hands, etc. Great overview and some detail, but no practical tips for paying attention better. This book would be a great read for Catholics new to the faith or who have not been well catechized in what is happening at the Mass; also a good refresher for those who are more familiar, including myself.

Tolkien's Modern Reading, by Holly Ordway

Scholar Holly Ordway explores the modern literature Tolkien is known or likely to have read while debunking myths about his life and reading habits that resulted from an unfortunate official biography.

Why I picked it up: I knew I wanted to read this book but didn't decide to until my reading-club-of-two partner agreed to it.

My impressions: This is an academic work and therefore prone to move slower than a novel, but it was an excellent read for serious Tolkien fans. Ordway did a great job of synthesizing when she described some of the books she listed (not all were explained in such - minimal - detail). I felt that she ventured into speculation at times about what influence these works could have had upon Tolkien, but she stated at the beginning that she was going to do so. And, as someone who did some detailed research (the depth is incredible), and as someone who has an intimate understanding of Tolkien's works, I think she is warranted the space to speculate. No amateur is she. There's no way of knowing for sure, but Ordway certainly made the case for Tolkien's imagination working in a certain way - as a "leaf mould". I doubt that anyone's full imaginative workings can be pinned down, but she had good evidence to back up her explanation. This book made me despise Humphrey Carpenter's official biography of Tolkien and wonder how Tolkien may have differed from Carpenter's portrayal. This book took me two summer months to work through (with some other books mixed in), but it was an impressive work that led me to start a letter to the author. I still have to finish it, but I'll get there. This book is good for Tolkien scholars and super-nerds, but I certainly wouldn't recommend it to casual fans or even big fans, unless they want to get into the more academic side of things and critical essays aren't enough.

Bracket Play

I did not include the Gospels in the bracket because I feel like the Bible would win hands down, every time. So, excepting the Gospels, this is how bracket play went:

Two of the first round games were easy to decide - Ordway's academic work won out over the beautiful but imperfect "Stories of the Saints". The audiobook of Father Augustine Tolton definitely held my interest much better than "If Your Mind Wanders at Mass", which would probably have been a better read for me as a physical book. However, the two fictional works (I'm certain of only one of them being for children) was difficult to decide. "Ronia" felt like a wild read, but I thought "Charis" was beautifully written and did not shy away from the ugliness and beauty of life. However, this work lost to "From Slave to Priest" because I think (on-his-way-to-being-a-)saint stories are important - and this, one, about a black priest in post-Civil-War America, strikes me as a very important one for today. For this reason, it also beat Ordway's book, which was very good, but probably not as likely to find general appeal.

It looks like the bracket this time was dictated more by what I thought was the better book to be read; it I went off of enjoyment, the winner could have been either fictional work or parts of "Tolkien's Modern Reading."

Books Started and Put Down

Triss, by Brian Jacques

A squirrel with a warrior's heart escapes slavery and battles the evil creatures who try to hunt her down.

Why I picked it up: I felt the urge to read a book from the beloved Redwall series and this was one I hadn't read in a while.

Why I put it down: Honestly, the German accents of several key villains really bothered me. Jacques usually gives interesting accents to side characters, but a pretty major one was sporting a strong accent in this book and I couldn't get past it. I recall from past reads that the story has pretty much all the Redwall adventure tropes one could ask for, but I didn't want to have to fight irritation from one character's voice the entire book. It's one thing to hear an accent in a movie and another to have to read it spelled phonetically in a 300+ page book. I'd still recommend this book to any Redwall lover, even though now was not the time for me to read it.