June Book Bracket

 June 2024 Book Bracket

Well, this is one of the most "productive" months of reading/listening I've had for a long time - 13 books completed. That's one of the joys of, audiobooks, quick books in children's lit series.

Searching for and Maintaining Peace, by Fr. Jacques Philippe

Great book. Talked about it before. No need to report again.

Alcatraz Vs. The Evil Librarians, by Brandon Sanderson**

NOTE: I listened to all six books in the series this month. I'm going to list the next five titles below, but give a review of the first book individually, then the series as a whole.

A boy with the incredible ability to break just about anything (even chickens) finds that he actually has a family the known world is actually ruled by evil librarians, and the unknown world opposes librarian control.

Why I picked it up: I wanted to an audiobook. This title showed up on Audible, and I thought, eh, why not?

My impressions (specific to book one): As I've gotten older, I've come to realize that I don't go in for real fantasy books all that often, unless it's Tolkien or C. S. Lewis. Fairy tales and anthropomorphic animals, sure - but not really the magic-based, made up tales that are based in a well-developed, unfamiliar world. However. I gave this book a try, and while I originally thought it was too silly, I really was enjoying the first audiobook by the time I reached the end. The narrator is sarcastic and there's lots of silliness going on in the story, but somewhere around where the big baddy shows up, Alcatraz starts experiencing...character development. That was the turning point for me. A good adventure with fun characters and solid world-building/altering make this a book that I could see many upper elementary/middle school students enjoying, as well as those older readers like me who enjoy a fun, clean fantasy adventure.

Alcatraz Vs. The Evil Librarians: The Scrivener's Bones**

Alcatraz Vs. The Evil Librarians: The Knights of Crystallia**

Alcatraz Vs. The Evil Librarians: The Shattered Lens**

Alcatraz Vs. The Evil Librarians: The Dark Talent**

Bastille Vs. The Evil Librarians, by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson**

The rest of the series: I felt that there was really great building in the next several books. Sanderson fleshed out his world more as the books progressed, bringing in and explaining more of the elements that made the people in this version of Earth function in fantastic ways. He also does a pretty good job of connecting back to things he's said earlier, although I noticed that, after the third or fourth book, his idea of focusing on "information is key" fades out and isn't mentioned anymore. He does a nice job of bringing readers on an emotional ride, somewhat along the lines of a eucatastrophe. However, I found some elements of the ending less than satisfying - namely, his relationship with certain characters, who never found redemption. These characters might have ended as they did to show a bit more of a realistic turn (not everyone chooses virtue, or something like that), and to keep the ending from being too saccharine, so I'm still thinking about what I think about that. There are multiple instances of potty humor, a section where a character ends up naked, and a joke about not joking about religion that...well, still ended up not sitting well with me. While this series had more substance than I initially thought, I can't say that it's one that I would say I'm glad I invested so much time in. Yes, it was fun, but I still have a slight feeling that I could, perhaps, have found something more worthwhile to fill my listening minutes. It's not complete fluff, but it's not the sort of series that has me thinking much about higher things.

Stuart Little, by E. B. White

The younger son born to the Little family of NYC looks pretty much just like a mouse, and he goes off on adventures.

Why I picked it up: I'd never read this classic children's tale before, and I wanted to know what all the fuss was about.

My impressions: Whatever the fuss is about, I don't think much of it. Harsh, but I really didn't find the book that meaningful. No plot, no character development, all the untied strings left at the end. I don't get it. I might go and see what Wikipedia has to say about its enduring contribution to children's literature, but I didn't appreciate it. I suppose I can see how the whimsical stories might appeal to kids or jog their imaginations, but in my estimation, no need to read - you can skip this one. (My apologies to anyone who loved this book growing up - I'd love to hear about why you loved it.)

The Last Bookseller: A Life in the Rare Book Trade, by Gary Goodman**

A man who made his living selling secondhand books for 20 years recounts his experiences of buying a store - almost on a whim - and his career selling books through the highs of the 90s and the secondhand book crash brought on by the internet.

Why I picked it up: I saw this either recommended somewhere or had it come up in the "recommended" section on Audible after listening to something else (perhaps Lost Feast?).

My impressions: This book was a fun listen. As one of millions of people who has (not-so-secretly) desired to own a bookstore, it was an informative book to listen to, because it recounts the difficulties of selling books - specifically, second-hand books. It's not easy to keep a small business going in the age of the Internet. It was interesting to hear about some of the other booksellers Goodman met along the way, as well as some of the criminals, but I did skim through one crime spree that involved forged Mormon documents and murder - that one was making me a little uncomfortable. I have some nostalgia for the pre-Internet world after listening to this book, but since I know that the web isn't going away anytime soon, it does make me want to go and support my favorite local bookstore instead of heading straight to Amazon, even though the prices might be cheaper online. I'm a few weeks late writing this review, but due to the criminal activity and maybe some crudeness (I don't remember if there was or not), a high schooler would probably be fine reading this book, but I'm not sure. And go buy books locally!

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

A woman journals about her attempts to understand greater things through a year observing nature at Virginia's Tinker Creek.

Why I picked it up: This was the book my discussion group was to read for June.

My impressions: Dillard is a skilled writer and does a great job linking back up with ideas or motifs she's mentioned before. However, this book wasn't for me. She spent an awful lot of time talking about insects, and some of the stories were rather horrifying. I understand that Dillard is grappling with big things when she considers nature in this work - the created world, and perhaps through it, the God who made it - but she alludes to so many faith traditions and authors from different fields that I found her work a sort of patchwork of matching quotes with her experiences, with some reasoning, but not really a well-outlined philosophy. I'm not exactly sure what her conclusions were. Most telling to me was that, in her chapter on "Fecundity," Dillard explains that she could consider the propagation of life by a different name (birth, or something of that nature), but she chose "fecundity" instead - and it seemed rather a whim, brought on by the mood of the moment. Sure, it was a deliberate choice, but it seemed like it was determined by her frame of mind at that time. If her thoughts on these subjects is so arbitrary, what really is the point of this work? I think she struggles with these ideas, but the conclusion is uncertain. Perhaps it's meant to be that way. In any case, I thought a few parts really dragged, some parts were horrible and I wish I could forget them (bugs can be really gross), but Dillard also had a nice turn of phrase here and there - nothing I'd write down as a quote I wanted to remember, but phrases that showed that she saw the world in a very vibrant way, shaped as much by the literature she read as by her own observations. This isn't a book I'd hand to a high schooler, and it's not a book I'd recommend. Maybe a more patient reader would have enjoyed it more, but I was glad to be done.

Tolkien's Faith, by Holly Ordway

This academic work is a biography of sorts, but the focus is on Tolkien's life of faith; the author intends this book to fill in some gaps in previous Tolkien biographical works, insofar as she believes not enough time is spent considering his faith, which had an enormous impact on his creative work.

Why I picked it up: A friend and I agreed that we wanted to read this book - and, as some might know, not least because I follow the author's works.

My impressions: This is a solid book. The focus on Tolkien's spiritual life made me feel that, even though much of the information was familiar, there was a lot that I was learning about one of my favorite authors. I appreciate the depth of research Ordway completed for this project, finding a way to ask questions of Tolkien's daughter before she passed away, and referencing such documents as works regarding her subject that were written in other languages and surveys completed about the state of the faith of soldiers following the Great War. As with much of Ordway's work, I notice that she isn't afraid to draw some conclusions that are not explicitly stated, but it's also pretty easy to tell when she is surmising or making a case for something based on the given evidence. Ordway presents Tolkien not as a saint, but as someone who tried to love God, love his neighbor, and overcome his faults. I found this book more readable than her Tolkien's Modern Reading, but it's a hefty book that I started to push towards finishing so that I could get to other books on my list. I think Catholic fans of Tolkien especially could appreciate this work, but Ordway has descriptions of Catholic-specific practices that I hope non-Catholics could find helpful. I repeat that this is an academic work, and as such, it's kind of a project to take on rather than light reading, but it's good for the audience that's willing to put in the time to read it.

The Mouse and the Motorcycle, by Beverly Cleary

A hotel mouse befriends a boy staying there and has fun riding the motorcycle around.

Why I picked it up: My husband wanted to read this book out loud and share this favorite from his childhood!

My impressions: This is a great read aloud book, especially when my husband reads it! I've asked him to read it to all our future children. The book perfectly captures the appeal of a dangerous but exhilarating motorcycle obsession, and delves into the justifications that we make for ourselves when we're not supposed to do something, but really want to anyways. The story has a good plot, even if the big problem doesn't really hit until about halfway through; this is possible because underneath the big problem, there's the work of overcoming personal flaws. It's a charming tale, full of imagination, and (in my opinion) a much better read than Stuart Little. Any elementary school kid would be able to enjoy this book.

A Family of Saints: The Martins of Lisieux Saints Therese, Louis, and Zelie, by Stephane-Joseph Piat*

This is a biography about an entire family - St. Therese of Lisieux, her four sisters, and holy parents.

Why I picked it up: This book was available for free as an ebook on the Formed app and, being a big fan of Little T, I figured it was perfect to read.

My impressions: I started this book about three years ago and did not finish it until I forced myself to plow through. It's not that it was a bad story - it wasn't. It's just one of those books that requires lots of time to sit and read through a chunk of it. It is a well-researched work and I learned lots about the whole family. It's one thing to read a synopsis of a saint's life on a website, and another matter entirely to have someone explain what was happening after consulting family letters and accessing historical documents. I've also been reading through the letters of Sts. Louis and Zelie (again, very slowly), and some of the details that I miss due to the snapshot nature of letters was clarified in this work. The detail of this work is great. However, there were some aspects of this book that didn't quite work for me. There were descriptions of locations that were rather lengthy (skimmed through some of those), and, at times, a bit of a preachy tone. I felt inspired by the lives of these holy people, but also intimidated. Some aspects of their life seemed too - I don't know - saccharine? - and others rather terrifying, such as the sacrifices that they made of their lives. I don't know if the author was able to find the right balance for showing the rigors of their lives but also making it seem attractive, but there is no mistaking that this is a family that lived with God first in their minds and hearts. Their lives looked different from those around them, so perhaps it is just that I'm uncomfortable with feeling called out and called to something higher. I think this is a good book for people who are looking for a deep dive into the Martin family, but it wouldn't be a good light introduction, considering how hefty it is.

Bracket Play

Per usual, I had to remove Fr. Jacques Philippe's classic work from the bracket, which left me with an even 12 contenders. The first six slots were given to Brandon Sanderson's Alcatraz Vs. The Evil Librarians series; to make it quick, I'll say that my favorite one to listen to was the second book, subtitled The Scrivener's Bones. The Last Bookseller beat Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, no contest; The Mouse and the Motorcycle also scored an easy victory over the other mouse classic, Stuart Little. Of the two biographies, I had to say I found Ordway's book far more enjoyable - and easy to finish - than A Family of Saints, although the latter work had some real merit. Tolkien's Faith couldn't defeat Cleary's book, however - this was probably the hardest battle of the bracket. The children's book was a great story with wonderful character development, and one that is more likely to be accessed and enjoyed by a greater number of people of all ages.

The Last Bookseller took the win over all of Sanderson's books, but fell in the end to The Mouse and the Motorcycle.  I felt like I went through a lot of fluff this month, and maybe not so many excellent books, but I was satisfied with reading and finishing some books that were on my "to read" list.

Comparing Robin Hood With Himself (and Himself)

A Shallow Comparison

When a friend learned that I've read three different takes on the Robin Hood legends, she mentioned she'd be interested to have them compared side by side. I thought it was a good idea.

I still think it's a good idea, but what I've come to realize is that, to do this project justice, I'd have to dedicate a lot of summer reading time to reviewing two of the versions I read previously. So, instead of doing all the hard work that I should be doing, I'm going to settle for a surface-level comparison of the works. I don't remember many details, especially from Pyle's version (read, perhaps, 5-6 years ago), but I'm going to do what I can for the time. Perhaps a full-blown effort will occur in the future.

The Contenders

There are three Robin Hood legend collections that I have read; a brief description of each follows.

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, by Howard Pyle (1883)

This is the oldest of the three collections I've encountered. It is also the version that I think has turned up most often when I've been online or encountered discussions of Robin Hood tales. It is notable (in some editions) for its illustrations, by N. C. Wyeth, and it is the version that Barnes & Noble has chosen to produce in a fine leather-bound hardback version. It is one of the two Robin Hood collections recommended by the Cardinal Newman Society's "Guide for the Catholic Reader."

Robin Hood, by Henry Gilbert (1912)

Written thirty years after Pyle's retelling, this version is the one that Cluny Media (a Catholic book company that works to get great Catholic works back in print). It is also the version that I own in a vintage edition.

The Adventures of Robin Hood, by Roger Lancelyn Green (1956)

This collection was apparently written by one of the fellows who was an Inkling at one point or another. In his introduction, Green names the original sources he drew his stories from, and pointed out some of the particulars of which of his retellings grew from which sources. It is the second of the Robin Hood collections recommended by the Cardinal Newman Society's "Guide for the Catholic Reader."

The Comparison

I think I'll just pick different points to compare, and consider how each work does in each instance. I'll admit to being biased in favor of Gilbert's version, but all three have their good points and their shortcomings.

How Robin Becomes an Outlaw

Pyle: Robin, a hothead, runs afoul of royal foresters when he shows off his shooting skills - and unknowingly kills the king's deer. One drunken forester takes a shot at him (and doesn't hit), and Robin responds by killing him. Self defense? Even though Pyle says that Robin would've been killed by the shot if the fellow was sober, I think it'd be hard to make the case for self defense. Pyle makes sure the reader knows that Robin was raging over his treatment by the foresters. However, Robin does indeed display great remorse at having killed this man.

Gilbert: This is the longest account of Robin's turning into a wanted man. He observes someone kill a deer, saves his beloved Marian from a forced, unwanted marriage; the would-be groom he killed, and the dead man's powerful relatives would seek revenge. Downtrodden, abused peasants come to Robin, stating they'll run off and not be mistreated any longer. Robin agrees to join and lead them, knowing he is outlawed. The peasants (not Robin) set fire to the oppressive Guy of Gisborne's house, but he escapes. I appreciated that Robin took time to talk to the peasants about the consequences of their actions. He's not the hothead that Pyle's Robin is at the start.

Green: Robin has secretly been defending peasants from oppressive masters, but his traitorous steward reveals his secret to his enemies. Robin must fight off foes and flee on the day of his intended marriage to Marian, but she promises she'll have no other but him. This version begins with Robin starting with a double identity, the nobleman and the defender of the poor - it was a neat take on the Robin Hood tale.

Maid Marian

Pyle: Per my Google research, Marian is mentioned a few times, but isn't really a character in Pyle's stories, so Robin is never married to her.

Gilbert: Robin saves Marian from being forced to marry an evil man. She marries him and is happy to live life with him. (Spoiler coming, so skip ahead if you don't want to know...)...Marian dies before Robin - I don't remember how, but I'm pretty sure it's very sad. I really dislike having main characters go.

Green: Marian has the most personality in Green's tales. She is a bold and brave woman, a good match in spirit and personality to Robin Hood. I love her fidelity to her man. She doesn't have the best relationship with her dad, but she loves him and tries to take care of him.

Ending

All three tellings go to the bitter end. There's a reason the movies stop where they do.

Language

In all three books, I believe there is some swearing that includes the names of holy people, so that is problematic for all books.

Pyle: Wow, the prose and dialogue are hard to read. I think he tried to make the language sound old-timey, but it's so archaic that it can bog down reading and really isn't that fun to slog through.

Gilbert: Gilbert also tries to make the language sound old-timey, but it didn't seem quite as egregious as Pyle's. It is difficult to wade through the dialogue at times, but the prose flows just a bit more like a novel's prose would, if I remember correctly (I may very well be wrong about that, though).

Green: The version definitely was the most readable as far as the language goes. Some parts of the prose were positively compelling - the action was very well written in parts. Green does go for more archaic-sounding language, but it strikes a good balance between setting a historical feel and not making the reader work harder than they need to.

Iconic Moments and Characters

I think all three works had some of the most iconic moments in the Robin Hood legendarium present in some form (shooting contest for a golden arrow, meeting Little John, recruiting Friar Tuck, forgiveness from King Richard). While I think Guy of Gisborne and the Sherriff of Nottingham are present in all versions, Pyle stood out insofar as he doesn't start with Richard on the throne - it is King Henry who rules, and King Richard plays his part later in the stories. I'd like to focus more on Sir Guy.

Pyle: Guy of Gisbourne is apparently not "Sir" Guy - he is an outlaw. And he dresses strangely. Horsehide is not a fashionable option. I think Guy is a character in one isolated adventure in Pyle's telling.

Gilbert: Sir Guy is a villainous character, present from the first chapter and mentioned in a following early chapter, but I don't remember how his story ends, or if he is a character who just fades from the tales. He does indeed make use of a horsehide, but he doesn't use it beyond the role he needed it to play.

Green: Sir Guy shows up throughout the tales, but he doesn't end up wearing horsehide until the end. And, when he does wear it, Green explains that there's a reason for it (to dampen the clink of chain mail). I appreciated that aspect of Green's storytelling.

Overall Story Arc

Pyle: It's been a long time, but this work felt like it was simply a collection of stories. The epilogue kind of wraps things up by going over what happens in a longer span of time versus the details of the earlier individual adventures.

Gilbert: According to my review of the book, there's not really a driving plot to the story, but the tales are connected and eventually focus on Robin taking out the lair of the evil knights and lords who have terrorized the countryside. While I enjoyed Green's device of making Robin Hood a mystery initially, in this version, I liked that Robin's embrace of living the outlaw life was something of a deliberate decision, and that there are actual "bad guys" out there that he opposes, not just local enemies who happen to not like him.

Green: This work felt like it, too, was a collection of different stories. I wouldn't say it was better or worse than Pyle's except for the fact that some of Green's stories didn't hang together well stylistically. A few chapters drew from Scott's Ivanhoe, and those chapters felt really different from the rest of the tales.

Robin's Nobility and Justification

Pyle: Well, Robin doesn't start off well (killing a man in anger), but he displays deep remorse and doesn't kill anyone else (Guy of Gisbourne?) until the end of the book, in more of a self-defense situation. I don't remember all details, but I have a remaining impression that Pyle's Robin is a rather tricksy fellow and used deception in not-so-noble ways. 

Gilbert: In my review of Gilbert's work, I mentioned that Robin's vigilante justice is questionable; however, I remember finding the actions of Gilbert's Robin justifiable in most situations throughout the book. He stands out to me as the most noble Robin overall.

Green: Green's Robin isn't too far behind Gilbert's in nobility and justification of actions with a few rather major exceptions. I noted in my review of the book that I found Robin killing fifteen fleeing foresters to avenge the death of his friend and assuage his sorrow was rather disturbing to me. Other than that moment, and a few very small ones here and there, I didn't think Robin was too bad of a guy.

A Recommendation

I know that there are many other comparisons I could complete for these works, but these are the big ones that stand out right now. A lot more research would be necessary to complete this study, but I hope this is a good start.

It's hard to say which book I would recommend; I think the choice depends on what one is looking for. 

Overall, I found Gilbert's most enjoyable to read, but Green had some great action sections. 

The best illustrations would probably belong to Pyle's version, if you can find an edition that has N. C. Wyeth as the artist. Just keep in mind that Pyle's work was, at least initially, a lot harder to read.

While I liked Gilbert's the most, it reads a little differently than typical Robin Hood tales because of the presence of a concentration of baddies in "Evil Hold" and the introduction of characters I haven't found mentioned or described in other Robin Hood works. Honestly, I'm surprised the Cardinal Newman Society didn't list this one in their reader guide, as I found this Robin to be the most upright of the three versions.

Since the Gilbert version has some pretty unique features, Green's work might be a better introduction to Robin Hood, even with the sections that don't quite click with the rest of the work.

All three books had elements in them that I could consider "problematic," so, if parents have concerns, it might be better to read these out loud.

Woe is Me

In doing my internet research, I discovered there are at least three more Robin Hood works in the public domain (and that's not even counting more recent works!). I'm probably going to have to admit defeat regarding being able to read all the Robin Hoods and give decent comparisons for them all, but here are the ones I found on Project Gutenberg:

Robin Hood and His Merry Foresters by Stephen Percy

Robin Hood by J. Walker McSpadden

Robin Hood by Paul Creswick

At least this article is out, so I can reference it in the future if I get around to other retellings. Happy reading! 

May Book Bracket 2024

Book Bracket May 2024

It was really nice to feel like I was getting back into the swing of reading things. I started and stopped quite a few audiobooks, but made it through several of them on top of physical books I've been meaning to read.

Mossflower, by Brian Jacques

The mouse warrior Martin resolves to destroy the evil rule of the wildcat Tsarmina in the Mossflower woodlands.

Why I picked it up: This was a book I read aloud with my husband! He was interested in having the second Redwall book be our next read aloud.

My (our) impressions: I posed this question to my husband: Which book did you like better - Redwall or Mossflower? He said he preferred the original, Redwall, because, while Mossflower had higher highs (a sassy Martin at the beginning and end of the story, exciting action-packed episodes), he said that the first book had better pacing and a more competent villain - i.e., he could have seen Cluny winning, while Tsarmina and her planning/personality basically doomed herself. I think that's a pretty good comparison, but I might still give Mossflower the edge. I absolutely love the first chapter or two of the book - it sets the mood and leaves the reader with one of the most dramatic beginnings seen in a Redwall book. I do think that the quest to Salamandastron is rather slow-paced, especially when compared with all the exciting things happening in Mossflower in their absence. Stylistically, Jacques was still hitting his stride in this book, but it definitely is closer to what one might call a "typical product" of his. I will say that some of the deaths of villains in this book seemed more gruesome when read aloud than it was the multiple times I've read the book to myself. This book is a great adventure for upper elementary/middle school readers and older, especially if they like fantasy, old-timey weapons, and good doses of food and humor.

Justin Morgan Had a Horse, by Marguerite Henry**

Young Joel of Vermont tames the little horse that teacher Justin Morgan accepted in lieu of the payment of a debt, and follows the horse's successes as a hard worker and fast racer with the hopes that he can own the doughty "Little Bub" someday.

Why I picked it up: It came up as a suggested listen in Audible, but I checked it out from the library's audiobook system.

My impressions: I remember seeing some of a movie that goes by the same name, and it didn't seem that exciting when I was younger. However, listening to it was a grand experience. It was delightful to hear how the horses were described with such precision - it's clear Henry spent a lot of time around horses. It's a classic underdog story, but the pathos really comes from Joel's special relationship with the horse, with him longing to own him not because he's a useful horse, but because he cares about the animal. It was also a believable story (good, considering it's based on a real horse) and gave a good taste of the apprenticeship system used in that long-ago era of American history. While there isn't a strong plot, there was enough to satisfy me, and enough interesting parts to keep the story moving. Some parts of this story might be hard for some readers to read or listen to - specifically, the difficult character of Joel's father - but it's a good story that elementary readers could enjoy - especially if they love horses!

The Lifegiving Home, by Sally & Sarah Clarkson**

Mother and daughter team up to write about the way their home life was constructed and conducted to make home a place of love, life, and creativity.

Why I picked it up: This audiobook was available through my Audible subscription and I'd been interested by some of Sally Clarkson's ideas from Awaking Wonder.

My impressions: Read this book in physical form, not by audiobook. I tried to take notes and screenshot time "locations" of ideas I wanted to revisit; I checked out the book in physical form and tried to find those locations in the book, and it was just too difficult to do without rereading the entire book. That was frustrating. There were lots of good ideas, and some of them dovetailed very nicely with The Theology of Home. It was also fun to notice the differences in writing style between Sally and Sarah - I really appreciate Sarah's style. The ideas they share for activities to complete in the home sound doable and desirable - I have baked some simple bread recipes a few weeks in a row now because their detailed descriptions of home-made meals sounded so appealing. One downside was that they referred readers to visit the lifegiving home website. I did indeed visit it, and while it had lists of many things they talked about in the book, I felt like they didn't include everything they had intended readers to find at the website. It felt almost like they had intended to really flesh out their lists, but then other projects came up and they moved on. I really would have just preferred to have everything included as appendices in the physical book, so everything would have been all in one place and I wouldn't have to go online to find out more. I think this book is a great read for those who want to make their house a home that people enjoy being in and living in, rather than just a place to be. This would be best for those who order their own living spaces as they see fit, but teenagers could probably appreciate this book, too.

“The Incarnation means that our salvation is accomplished within flesh and blood, time and space, and includes the physical spaces and particulars of our lives, as well as the spiritual. God didn’t come merely to save us to a life beyond this world; He came to redeem the one we already inhabit.” (from somewhere in the book that I couldn't find in the physical copy)

Around the World in 80 Trees, by Jonathan Drori

Brief descriptions of the most important physical features of the tree accompany facts about their history, current endangerment, or role in human affairs.

Why I picked it up: Holly Ordway wrote about this being one of five books she'd read recently that she'd enjoyed, and it sounded interesting to me.

My impressions: Even with the colorful illustrations, this book was good, but just not quite everything I wanted it to be. There were few pages dedicated to each tree, making it move quickly from one tree to the next, and yet, it still felt like it was a slow-moving work. That is not a bad thing, considering that this book really is the sort that you might sit with and ponder a while, but it wasn't what I needed right now. I thought it was interesting to learn about modern dangers to various tree species, but I felt like I was being preached at sometimes. I also noticed that, more often than not, the histories related seemed to eventually lead to tie-ins with Great Britain's history. Again, this isn't bad and is not surprising, considering that I think the author grew up in that country, but it does make me wonder what another author from a different country might have considered worth communicating. I must also say that it was a bummer to have the North American trees include none of the interesting ones (in my opinion) from my area (osage orange/hedgeapple, anyone? no, only black walnut), but I liked learning about all the different ways that trees or their fruits/saps/etc. have been used. There are some more adult topics that came up with different trees, so I wouldn't necessarily recommend this for anyone who's not an adult, but this was a good dip into the trees of the world that could be a great launching point for more in-depth research of particular species.

The Adventures of Robin Hood, by Roger Lancelyn Green

This collection of stories about the legendary hero Robin Hood grows out of research the author did into the tales from early appearances to more recent authors like Sir Walter Scott and poet Tennyson.

Why I picked it up: I harbor (not-so-secret) hopes of revisiting a terrible rough draft of a story I wrote several years ago that includes this excellent hero. I'd also read two collections of tales of Robin Hood from earlier in the 20th century, so I was curious if and how this one would differ.

My impressions: To answer the questions I had about this book, it is similar to the other collections in that it is mostly a collection of stories of events that involve Robin Hood, but there's no unifying narrative plot. Each chapter was, for the most part, a story unto itself. Those stories were pretty good for the most part, but I was uncomfortable with the one that featured a witch and admit that I didn't read the last three chapters all the way through. Let's just say I don't like having the main character die, especially this one. The action in some of these chapters is absolutely riveting and every bit as exciting as an adventure should be. I felt like the hero of this collection fell somewhere between Pyle's and Gilbert's as far as noble spirit and personal virtue go. (I hope to maybe brush up on the other versions and share more of my thoughts on the respective Robin Hoods in a separate post.)  One thought here is that while Green's Robin certainly starts as a noble fellow, some of Robin's doings here and there are uncomfortably suspect and even straight bad - such as when, upon losing a dear friend, Robin takes out his grief on fifteen (yes, 15!) enemies who were fleeing back to safety by shooting them all dead. Maid Marian is a fun character who is a good match for him, so it was fun to encounter the lady and have her enjoy a real personality. Drawing from many different sources is a neat idea, but the chapters based on Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe really had a different feel and didn't hang stylistically with the rest of the stories. There is some swearing that I had problems with, and a few insinuations here and there were pretty mild but a bit surprising to me in a children's book, so I don't think I'd just hand this book to a youngster to read. However, I think that this collection could be fun for more mature elementary/middle readers or as a read aloud.

Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell**

A horse of good breeding describes his life, from gentle training and breaking on the farm of his youth through good and poor masters and stable keepers, carrying riders, pulling cabs, and fighting to survive back-breaking work conditions.

Why I picked it up: This book was available through an Audible membership. I'd heard of this book, and maybe even tried it once, but I put it down early. I decided I wanted to try it again so I'd actually know what it was about.

My impressions: The aspect of this book that stood out to me most what the voice of Black Beauty and a few other animal characters. The horse was believable as a character, seeming to come from an aristocratic background (as far as breeding is concerned), and he was a very likeable main character. In a society where everyone gets around by car, it's interesting to consider how a society that relies on horse transportation would differ. I was worried about the ending while reading Black Beauty because some parts were so sad or rough - indeed, while children are often considered the target audience of this book these days, this is a work that can cause adults to ponder the way they treat animals. Whenever one horse character related a new development in her sad tale, it was about enough to break my heart. In fact, her experience was so descriptive and emotional I felt like I could have been reading the story of a woman who had been used and abused, rather than a horse. It's a well-written work of fiction that brings the reader in the world of Victorian England. So, I struggle with stories in which the main character is helpless to change their situation, but this is a really good book; the ending helped quite a bit. I think middle schoolers would be fine reading this book, and maybe upper elementary, but any animal lover would probably have a hard time reading about some of the abuses animals face in this story.

The Long Patrol, by Brian Jacques**

A young hare runs away from home to adventure with the elite fighting squad known as the "Long Patrol."

Why I picked it up: I was finishing up the work year and needed an audiobook to accompany me during the empty hours. This one was available through the public library system, and is one of my favorites in the whole Redwall series.

My impressions: I'd never listened to one of these tales as an audiobook, and that was a pretty neat experience. The best part of the audiobook was that Brian Jacques, the author, read the narrator's parts. However, a few of the lines of the characters' speeches were difficult to understand, and some of the music wasn't my favorite. On the flip side, the fact that the songs had music accompaniment helped make those parts more interesting and enjoyable. The tale is about as great as an adventure can get - a grand adventure for the main character, a massive battle, and a unique problem at the abbey contributed to this fantastic story. Upper elementary/middle school readers, especially those with a penchant for adventure, would enjoy this story.

Saints Around the World by Meg Hunter-Kilmer**

This book, written for children, tells synopses of the lives of 100 saints and blesseds from around the world.

Why I picked it up: One of my cousins had mentioned she was reading this book, and it seemed like a good one to spend my Audible credit on.

My impressions: This is a good book for the intended audience, but also for adults. It was neat to learn about lots of people I hadn't heard of before. I was surprised that so many were blesseds and not recognized saints yet. While they have amazing stories, I did think that it made the title a bit misleading. I liked that there were a few moments the author paused to indicate that certain things would not be safe for kids to do, or that some actions are never right or different ones could be okay in specific situations - it was nice to have things like that spelled out for young readers, which might give parents more peace of mind (no jumping on the wagon taking girls to the convent without telling your parents! Unless you're an adult already!). I must admit I was sad that Little T wasn't included, but it seems like the author went to some trouble to make sure that many lesser-known saints were included - including Blessed Stanley Rother, from Oklahoma. This book would be great for kids to read on their own, or for the family to read together. The stories are relatively short (five-ten minutes read aloud, at most), so it could be fun to read one a day. The author read the audiobook version, and you can tell she really likes sharing these stories.

Bracket Play

This month's bracket was difficult in a few points, even in the first round. I wanted the Robin Hood story to win, but I gave the win to the Clarkson book because it had me thinking more outside of the time I was reading it, and it did influence my behavior (I baked bread). The Long Patrol is a better Redwall book than Mossflower, although the latter book has some really excellent sections. Choosing which horse book was better was hard - I feel like I probably should have given Black Beauty the victory, especially since it was a book that had a significant effect on society at the time, but I enjoyed the Justin Morgan book more. So, the choice reflects the level of enjoyability I had while listening to them. The saints book easily beat the tree book. The Long Patrol made it to the playoffs over the Clarkson book - it's hard to compare books that are so incredibly different, so again, enjoyability was the deciding factor for that battle. The saints book won this round as well - there were many great stories, and I like to think that at least one of those stories would appeal to anyone who read them; Justin Morgan Had a Horse was good, but I think I'd be more likely to recommend the saints book first. In fact, the saints book ended up winning. I think it was one of those situations where I was comparing apples to oranges, so the more religious book gets the default win. I know it's a bias, but I also recognize it as such.

Books Started and Put Down

The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn, by Dorothy & Thomas Hoobler**

A merchant's son witnesses a crime and is brought along by the judge to help solve the mystery.

Why I picked it up: This book was recommended sometime, somewhere, and sounded interesting. I decided to get it as an audiobook.

Why I put it down: This book had a lot going for it - imagine a mystery set in feudal Japan with a judge who's basically a detective. What caused me to put down such an interesting and engaging book was the fact that there's a lot of discussion of "maintaining honor" by committing suicide. I know that was part of the culture, but I didn't need all that popping up. If it had been a one-time thing, that would be one matter - it was the fact that it kept coming up throughout the book that caused me to move on to something else.

April Book Bracket 2024

April 2024 Book Bracket

This month was apparently a lot busier than I thought it would be, but things were busy with trying to exercise more regularly, reading a book out loud with my husband, and spending quality time with him (including writing a blog post with lots of input from him!). There wasn't as much time for books this month as in March, but I still managed to make it through a few.

What Jesus Saw from the Cross, by A. G. Sertillanges

A prolific Dominican writer of the 20th century considers the environment of Jerusalem at the time of Christ and reflects on what Jesus may have been thinking of during his Passion.

Why I picked it up: My husband's father recommended this book to us and actually loaned us a copy - I ended up returning his copy because, surprise surprise, I went to look at our bookshelves and found that we had already acquired this book at some point! I learned about this book maybe last year, but I wanted to save it for Lent this year.

My impressions: Wow, this is an incredible book. It's part topography and part historical review, but it's mostly spiritual reflection. It was beautifully written, and I found I was taking notes over striking passages throughout. I've decided that Sertillanges likes to use paradox to make points - it reminded me of Chesterton's great love of paradox, but Sertillanges' usage of it felt more subtle than GKC's. This book was great to read for reflections, since the book is broken up into chapters, and those chapters are separated into many smaller portions that are just right for morning prayer or short reading spurts. However, the book was great for long-form reading, too. I will say that the author presents his work from a rather definitive perspective - I guess I'm trying to say he doesn't say, "Oh, this is what Jesus might have been thinking about," which would probably have been more accurate - rather, he just presents things as being a certain way. It doesn't affect the benefit the reader gains - it was just something I noticed that raised my eyebrow a bit. Also noted was the author conflating Mary Magdalen with the sister of Lazarus and Martha and the woman who wept over Jesus' feet and dried them with her tears. Even with that, though, he had some fantastic reflections. I absolutely loved sitting down with this during Holy Week and focusing on this work leading up to Easter. This book would be great for any Catholic or Christian, and especially as Lenten or Holy Week fare.

To Kidnap a Pope: Napoleon and Pius VII, by Ambrogio A. Caiani**

A historian chronicles the rocky relationship between one of the most notorious conquerors of all time and the Pope at that time in the context of social and political European events.

Why I picked it up: So, I remember hearing about a wild relationship between Napoleon and a pope when I was in Church history in high school, and I think I reflected that it sounded like it would make a good movie. Then, I saw this book at my favorite local bookstore. How delighted I was to discover this book was available for free through my Audible description!

My impressions: I'm writing this up about a month after I finished listening to it, so it's already a little hazy. I thought it was an interesting read - I wasn't disappointed. However, there were a few parts that I wanted to skip over, including the excesses, crimes, and abuses of the French Revolution - including shortcomings of Catholic priests and bishops. I also didn't like the chapter about Napoleon's divorce from his first wife and remarriage to another woman. The author sounded like he had a balanced take, but it's hard to know for sure, and I always wonder how fair these historians are to the Catholic Church. There was at least one explanation of a key Catholic belief that he got wrong in his description. I think some things might need to be taken with a grain of salt or may be the author's conclusions rather than the fruit of hard historical evidence. In spite of a few slow parts, I still think this tale could make a really great movie. I think that both those interested in secular and Catholic history might enjoy this book, but I'd probably keep it to adults.

G. K. Chesterton and Our Lady: Readings and Essays on Chesterton’s Spiritual Life, by Nancy Carpentier Brown, Karl Schmude, Maria Romine, James G Bruen Jr., Fr. Robert Wild, Sam Guzman, Dr. Peter Floriani**

Multiple scholars and Chesterton followers wrote this collection of essays, which focus on Chesterton's faith and especially his relationship with Our Lady.

Why I picked it up: I had tried several different audiobooks and this is the one that stuck.

My impressions: This was a nice listen, and rather fitting to have a collection of essays about a writer who wrote thousands of essays. It was academic, but not so academic that it was hard to follow when listening. It was interesting that the same Chesterton writings were referenced time and again, but I think it helps make the point that Chesterton actually spoke about his personal faith experience rather rarely, especially for such a prolific writer. I added a book or two of his poetry to my to-read list because of listening to this book, and was intrigued enough by one essay to look up a certain statue in his home parish. I enjoyed one essay that took a look at The Man Who Was Thursday especially. This book would be great for any GKC fan.

Correction 7/9/24

This post was edited because I missed a book that I read this month. I wanted to make sure I didn't lose a book title, because even though I dedicated a whole blog post to this specific work, I'm afraid I would miss it in the end of the year analysis. Its addition in the bracket does not change the outcome of the bracket.

The Easter Book, by Francis X. Weiser

A Catholic priest describes the history and current practice of Lenten and Easter traditions prior to the changes brought about by Vatican II.

Why I picked it up: I had read the Christmas book written by this same author, and enjoyed it enough that I wanted to learn about Easter traditions.

My impressions: This book has good information, but the fact that it was written before Vatican II shows a lot more in this work than in The Christmas Book. More of my thoughts can be read in the blog post dedicated to this work. It was a good book, and although I like the vintage feel and the illustrations, I suspect there are better, up-to-date books on the same topic out there.

Book Bracket

It was a pretty basic bracket this month, even with the correction made to include the missing The Easter Book. I knew who the winner would be - What Jesus Saw from the Cross - so the only question was who would win the first round on the other spear of the bracket. I decided to give the victory to the selection of essays about GKC, because if I'm being honest with myself, I have a soft spot for the guy. Sertrillanges' book beat it, but it was a very deserving win. This is a month where, even though some of the books weren't ones that I had planned to read, and I put others down, it didn't feel like I was just taking in fluff.

Books Attempted and Put Down

The Ark Plan, by Laura Martin**

In a post-apocalyptic world in which oversized dinosaurs reign and humans hide in underground bunkers, one outcast tween takes a dangerous mission upon herself to find answers and help out.

Why I picked it up: It had been recommended on the Read Out Loud Revival podcast and it sounded interesting.

Why I put it down: Well, I wasn't at peace reading it. I felt unsettled, like how I felt at the end of The City of Ember. I put it down to find a book I'd feel better about reading. It wasn't the book for me right now, but maybe I can come back to it later.

How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization, by Thomas E. Woods Jr.**

A historian looks at the Catholic Church's role in history.

Why I picked it up: It looked interesting and I think it had made it's way onto my to-read list.

Why I put it down: I tried another audiobook on Audible and it just wasn't keeping my interest.

Deep Dive: The Easter Book

 My Thoughts on The Easter Book

I finally finished this book by Fr. Francis X. Weiser about three weeks after Easter, and I wanted to give it a similar treatment to his book on Christmas. I probably won't go as deeply as I did in The Christmas Book's post, but I still want to take a look at the book chapter by chapter.

Pre-Introduction

One wonderful change in this book was a listing of the illustrations, including page numbers and the scene illustrated. I liked knowing that certain illustrations were of Medieval events, and others of more recent or distant centuries. I like the quality of the illustrations and believe that they add pleasure.

Introduction

Another way this book differs from its predecessor is that it does not go through all the Gospel accounts of the Resurrection. I liked that this book assumed the reader has familiarity with the Resurrection story, and that left more time to attend to the history of Easter celebrations.

Chapter 1: Man and Nature

This chapter was interesting because it took a good look at the pre-Christian traditions that have connected with some of the ways we celebrate Easter. For instance, there were many activities people did to celebrate winter ending, and some have been altered or connected to activities people do in the course of liturgically observing Lent and Easter. Many of these activities would be considered a little off-color today, or perhaps were superstitious in nature. It was kind of weird to read "A striking Christian variation of these nature rites was the medieval custom of planting 'Mary gardens,' which were made up of all the flowers and herbs that are ascribed by love and legend as a special tribute to the Blessed Virgin" (19). So, the connection of a Mary garden with pagan fertility stuff is a little unsettling, but it is also neat to see that even if there are pagan connections somewhere in its history, we don't necessarily need to fear certain things. As Weiser states, "Most of the natural [pre-Christian] customs were ennobled through the spiritual power of Christianity" (26).

Chapter 2: Farewell to Alleluia

Did you know that people would sometimes entomb the written word "Alleluia" in a coffin and bury it in preparation for Lent? I probably did know this at some point, but it was like hearing it for the first time when I read this book. Learning about quirky little traditions like this was interesting - Weiser isn't afraid to indicate such events were "aberrations" or, in other cases, "abuses," and were suppressed in time, but he doesn't shy away from recording these things - they were, after all, traditions that people did have at some point in history. I liked the history of the word "Alleluia" that the author provides, especially pointing out that " nowhere and at no time was any effort made to translate it into the vernacular" (28).

Chapter 3: Pre-Lent and Carnival

I learned that there are some terms that we don't use anymore, and it seems that the liturgical season of Lent is set up a little bit differently post Vatican II. This book is still good to read for that reason, I'd say - it gives me a sense that things have changed even within the last 100 years, and I didn't even know that until now. I liked learning that the carnival season, while rife with abuses in different places and times, had a practical purpose - using up all the forbidden foods that one wouldn't be able to eat during Lent.

Chapter 4: Sackcloth and Ashes

Sweet vindication! The first lines of this chapter states that "Lent is a fast of forty days, not including Sundays, beginning with Ash Wednesday and ending with the Saturday before Easter Sunday" (emphasis added)(43). I've heard people say that they keep their Lenten fasts even on Sundays, and that's never sat well with me. This chapter was the big start of dropping song names - I tried to record the many that sounded interesting to me, but they'll be dealt with in a different section.

Chapter 5: The Great Fast

I'm glad I don't do old-time fasts. Those were intense. It's also encouraging to read that the Church didn't just create extremely hard rules and have no exceptions - there was a great deal of pastoral flexibility regarding exemptions, even in the early Church.

Chapter 6: Customs of Lent

In another instance of relearning things I think I previously knew, I learned about the history of pretzels. Since they don't require dairy or eggs, they were a kind of bread that could be eaten during Lent when the abstinence rules were stricter. Also fun in this book were the recipes included for different dishes. I probably won't make any of them, but I definitely looked up beer soup and flagged a recipe online when I read about it in the book. There were other customs discussed, but of course, I found the food-related ones most intriguing.

Chapter 7: Passiontide

This chapter was heavy on the music I want to look into - there is such a rich tradition of music associated with Lent and Easter. I was also interested to learn that there is a prestigious Passion Play put on every year in Oberammergau, Germany - it's neat to know people still put on high-quality religious plays around the world.

Chapter 8: Palm Sunday

Lots of old traditions mentioned in this chapter.

Chapter 9: Maundy Thursday

One of these days, I'll attend a Tenebrae service. I've been hearing about it for years, but never made it. It's cool to know that the Chrism Mass has ancient roots - of course, so many of our liturgical celebrations do...but it's neat to have services I've heard of for years reach all the way back to ancient times.

Chapter 10: Good Friday

The term "Pasch" comes from the Hebrew "pesach," which means "passover" (113). The history of hot cross buns is explained - it's interesting how many seemingly random rhymes or cultural tidbits have drifted from their original religious moorings.

Chapter 11: Holy Saturday and Chapter 12: The Feast of Feasts

Nothing I want to note right now.

Chapter 13: Easter Sunday

I learned that the morality plays of the Middle Ages grew out of the sequence "Victimae Paschali Laudes," which has something like dialogue in it. How interesting to be able to trace back the roots of a whole genre of dramatic performance to a single non-play composition! People would wear new clothes on Easter to symbolize the new life given through Jesus' Resurrection (pg. 159) - another tradition I took for granted and had no idea stems from something with religious significance.

Chapter 14: Easter Hymns and Music

See below.

Chapter 15: Easter Symbols and Foods

This history of Easter eggs is not nearly as exciting as seeing how people in different countries decorate them - especially people in Poland and Ukraine, who create pysanki - eggs are dipped into various dye baths, with wax covering different parts each time to create a colorful, intricate design. All the rich Easter cakes from around the world sound delicious - several recipes included.

Chapter 16: The Easter Season

I like the idea of making pilgrimages during the Easter season, or of just going for walks - like the "Emmaus Walk" some people might do on Easter Monday. I think it would be neat to incorporate more of these traditions into our celebration of Easter. We have so many things to do associated with Christmas, but Lent and Eastertide just don't seem to get as much attention on the liturgical living side. I think this book provides some great raw material for people to work with.

Hymns and Music

Lent Music

"Pange lingua gloriosi" - Venantius Fortunatus

"Vexilla Regis prodeunt" - Venatnius Fortunatus

"Solus ad victimam procedis, Domine" - Peter Abelard

Bach's "Saint Matthew Passion" and "St. John Passion" 

"Gloria, laus et honor"

"Hosanna Filio David"

"Les Rameaux" (The Palms) - Jean B. Faure

Tenebrae

"Miserere" - Gregorio Allegri

"Lamentations" - Palestrina

"Emendemus in Melius" - Cristobal Morales

"Audi benige conditor" - St. Gregory the Great

"Clarum decus jejunii" - St. Gregory the Great

"O sol salutis"

"Lord, who throughout these forty days" - Claudia F. Hernaman

"Gorzkie Zale" (Bitter Sorrows, in Polish)

"Stabat Mater" - versions by Palestrina, Gioacchino Rossini, and Antonin Dvorak

"Cuius Animam"

"Improperia" - Palestrina ( also, Victoria's "Reproaches")

"Crux Fidelis" - Antonio Scandello, or Handel

Heinrich Schuetz's Gospel settings (4)

"Seven Last Words" - Franz Josef Haydn

"Christus am Oelberg" - Beethoven

"Redemption" - Cesar Franck or Eduard Blau

"Seven Last Words" - Charles Gounod or Theodore Dubois

"Olivet to Calvary" - Maunder

"Holy City" - Gaul

"Crucifixion" - Stainer

"Parsifal" - Richard Wagner

Easter Music

Victimae Paschali Laudes - Wipo

The Exultet

Claro paschali gaudio - St. Ambrose - also, see "That Easter Day with Joy was Bright"

Salve fest dies (Hail, Festive Day!) - Venantius Fortunatus

Ad regia Agni dapes (The Royal Banquet of the Lamb)

"Thou Hallowed chosen Morn of Praise" (Aute he klete kai hagia hemera) by St. John Damascene - also, see John M. Neale's translation with melody by Johann H Schein

"Sing All Nations" (Aidomen pantes laoi) by St. John Damascene  - see also "Come Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain of Triumphant Gladness" by Neale, Johan Horn

"The Day of Resurrection" (Anastaseos Hemera) by St. John Damascene - see also Neale's translation, sung to "Ave Maria, Klarer und lichter Morgenstern"

"Christus ist erstanden" (Christ is Risen) - English translation by Isaac Watts

Alleluia! O filii and filiae (Alleluia, O Sons and Daughters) - Jean Tisserand - See also "Young Men and Maids, Rejoice and Sing)

Wir wollen alle frohlich sein (Let Us All Be Glad) - text by Geoffry Shaw (Now Glad of Heart Be Every One)

Finita sunt jam proelia - English by Francis Pott, tune adapted by William H. Mock from Palestrina's Magnificat Tertii Toni

Christ the Lord is Risen Today - Charles Wesley

The World Itself - John M. Neale

The Sabbath Day was By, or Easter Carol for Children - Dean Howard Chandler Robbins

O Who Shall Roll Away the Stone? - Marion F. Ham

Haec Dies quam fecit Dominus (This is the Day Which the Lord Has Made)

Regina Coeli Laetare (Queen of Heaven, Rejoice)

Regina Coeli Jubila (Queen of Heaven, Rejoice)

Oratorios - Antonio Scandello's Auferstehungsgeschichte (Story of the Resurrection); Handel's Messiah; Charles Gounod's Redemption, especially "Unfold Ye Portals"; Cesar Franck's Redemption; and A. R. Gaul's The Holy City

"Bright Holiday" or "Russian Easter" by Nicholas A. Rimsky-Korsakoff (instrumental only; drawing from Obichod)

"Resurrection Symphony" by Gustav Mahler

Johann Sebasitan Bach had several cantatas based on text associated with Easter; also, short organ pieces inspired by the Resurrection

Surrexit Christus Hodie (Christ is Risen Today)

The Joyful Day Has Dawned for Us

A terra treme (The Earth Trembled)

Gandalf and the Holy Spirit's Silence

 When the Spirit is Silent

My husband has embarked upon the wonderful adventure of listening to Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings in audiobook form, narrated by Andy Serkis. He has always loved the movies (which are played nigh-constantly in his family's house), but his listening experience has been just about as fun for me as it has been for him. One of our most in-depth conversations about the story focused on The Fellowship of the Ring. While The Two Towers is his favorite movie, he found that there was so much depth to the first novel that wasn't depicted in Peter Jackson's film, and that depth led to some fascinating insights about Gandalf's role in the fellowship and, in my interpretation, tie-ins with the spiritual life.

Tolkien's work is one of the finest adventure stories of all time, and I'll start with examining the parts relevant to this discussion. In the mines of Moria (one of my husband's favorite scenes in the audiobooks to date), Gandalf falls during his battle with the Balrog and is lost to the fellowship. The remaining members of the group make their way to Lothlorien, one of the realms of the elves, and recuperate there. After some time there - and some interesting interactions with the ruling lady, Galadriel - the fellowship continues on its way down the river. At some point, the members of the group will have to decide where they are going to go - to give succor to Gondor, with Boromir, or towards Mordor and Mount Doom, to destroy the Ring as soon as possible. This is the basic frame of the story after Moria, up to a point.

Now, I'll take a look at what was going on within the company. My husband noticed that once Gandalf is gone, it's almost as if the fellowship has lost its guiding compass. Gandalf, always the summoner to adventure and mentor figure and marshaler of men, leaves the fellowship devoid of his guiding presence. As my husband put it, the fellowship was happy to follow Gandalf's lead, much like a child trusts that everything will turn out well, as long as his parents are with him. But, once that dynamic problem solver - the biggest adult in the room, as it were - is gone, the decision making falls primarily on the next "most mature" person in the group, which, in this case, is Aragorn. 

Aragorn, however, seems not too keen to take complete control of the reins, and this dynamic is lost in the translation of the novel into movie format. He has some ideas about how the members of the fellowship should divide, posing the idea that he travel with Frodo and the Ring, Samwise, and Gimli towards Mordor, and the others should perhaps accompany Boromir on his homeward journey to Gondor. However, even with this idea, he is loth to make the decision himself and defers to Frodo. Frodo asks for some time to consider the options, and this is the point at which the train jumps the tracks and everything spirals out of control.

One of the reasons things go awry is that Boromir tries to take the Ring from Frodo. With his analysis, I'm going to start bringing in some of the more spiritual tie-ins.

Boromir is an interesting character regarding decision-making and virtue. As regards the making of decisions, the reader knows from the outset that Boromir plans to accompany the fellowship as long as it's heading in the direction of his homeland, and he intends to part ways once the group's path lies in a different direction. He argues that the Ring should go to Gondor, but accepts that his path will split at some point from others. There is some tension present regarding Boromir and his ideas about what should happen to the Ring, but there is no question there of doing other than what Gandalf deems best. But, this is the situation before Gandalf's loss.

Once Gandalf - our proverbial decision-making parent - is out of the picture, it seems that alternatives suggest themselves more strongly to Boromir. Even Lady Galadriel picks up on this when the fellowship presents itself in Lothlorien. What had once been a distant possibility - the taking of the Ring to Gondor before Mordor - was suddenly an option that was back on the table. Yet, it was not an option that anyone in the fellowship seriously considered. Aragorn mulled over splitting the fellowship, and Frodo knew the Ring had to continue to Mordor and its destruction. So, once Boromir determined that the Ring's journey to Gondor was a real possibility, he had to figure out how to make that possibility happen.

As said previously, the change in Boromir from contented fellow-adventurer to ambitious strategist seems to take place after the group loses Gandalf. Think of him, in a way, as a high schooler - one who is content to live by his parents' rules so long as he lives in his parents' house, but who goes off to college and lives by a different set of values once he's on his own. The change wasn't that he was suddenly a different person altogether - the change came from the sudden falling away of a structure that gave something its form. Once the structure was gone, the inner substance wasn't hard enough to retain the shape and stand on its own.

But the structure fell away for everyone in the fellowship, not just Boromir. Gandalf wasn't watching over or guiding any of them anymore, so why was Boromir the only one who "went bad"? I think the answer lies in virtue and discernment, and the difference can best be seen in a comparison with Aragorn.

Aragorn hesitated to push Frodo to take the Ring in a specific direction. He knew what he thought would be the best course of action, but without Gandalf there, he wasn't confident to decide for the company. Aragorn did recognize that his loyalty lay most with Frodo's mission, but he didn't feel he had the knowledge or wisdom to make a decision regarding what path that mission would take. He spends a long time reflecting upon the options, but ultimately, he hands the decision over to the person who has the most responsibility for the fate of the Ring. Aragorn discerned as well as he could in the circumstances, but in the end, lacking clear insight, he submitted the right to decide to another. He could yield this power to someone else, showing both humility and a determination to be obedient

In contrast, Boromir desired the power of the Ring and sought to force Frodo's decision into the path he wanted to take. Rather than giving up power, he attempts to exert his will upon a weaker person. In this, he exhibits pride in the conviction that his way is the best way. He seemingly spent time listening to the voice that tempted him to take the Ring, if necessary; but he didn't appear to consider whether there might be a better path for him or for the Ring. There was no need to consider voices so long as the voice of Gandalf was the one directing the fellowship. Gandalf's voice was one of power, which accomplished much and was a source of strength. But in the vacuum left by Gandalf's loss, Boromir didn't have the virtue necessary to consider that some alternative might be better than the one suggested by his desires.

And what of Gandalf? Why was so much confusion visited upon the fellowship once he dropped out of the story? In Gandalf, I see something of an allegory for the voice of the Holy Spirit. It is easy to follow God's lead when His makes the plan obvious. Similarly, it was easy to travel in the fellowship when Gandalf took the lead. No one really knew what his plan was - which was why Aragorn's discernment was so difficult - but they were confident that he had a plan and would lead them where they needed to go. But, any Christian can tell you that, sometimes, the Holy Spirit doesn't seem to speak - at least, if He does, it seems to be something we don't catch. So how is Aragorn to decide where the Ring is to go if Gandalf doesn't divulge his plans before disappearing? How is one to make a decision when it's not clear what God desires? 

This is something that Fr. Jacques Philippe discusses in his beautiful work, Searching for and Maintaining Peace. After considering that decisions must not be made with too much haste, or with the help of a spiritual director, he continues on to say that, even with all the right steps, a clear direction isn't always forthcoming. "Sometimes, He [God] simply leaves us free and sometimes, for reasons of His own, He does not manifest Himself" (72). He goes on to say that in these situations, "Frequently, the will of the Lord is that we do decide for ourselves, even if we are not absolutely sure that this decision would be the best." (74).

With this in mind, it seems that both Aragorn and Boromir failed in the realm of discernment. Aragorn could not reach a decision on his own, or even when open to guidance, but Boromir did decide alone - and tried to force events to match his ideas. However, Aragorn did better in the end. He couldn't decide for the group, but for himself, he submitted his own personal desires to the authority of the Ringbearer. Aragorn could not be the ultimate authority for the group, but he recognized his role was to accompany Frodo.

And yet, even this decision of Aragorn's was turned to naught. Events occur which rendered moot his determination to abide by Frodo's choice. He was presented with another situation to discern - should he follow Frodo and Sam, or the captured Merry and Pippin? In this case, his duty was clear - to help those who were immediately in need of help, the captured Hobbits. Here, Aragorn made up his mind speedily, but not in haste. The voice of Gandalf was absent, but the needs of his fellow travelers made clear what was required of him. The Holy Spirit may speak in different ways, and in this story, the experience was true for Aragorn. Even though Gandalf was still gone, Aragorn could see what he needed to do.

Think back to Fr. Philippe - "Frequently, the will of the Lord is that we do decide for ourselves..." Aragorn did make that decision for himself, and notice how things suddenly changed at that point. All his uncertainty vanished once he chose a course of action and committed himself to it. He had purpose, and the purpose gave fruit to action. That action carried him and his companions across lands and into encounters with people who would change the outcome of the war with Sauron. And, eventually, his choice led him back into contact with Gandalf. Aragorn would not have found Gandalf again had he sat at the crossroads and forever pondered whether he should follow Frodo and Sam or the captured Hobbits. No, it was fulfilling the duty that presented itself that brought him back to sensible relationship with Gandalf. 

And this, I think, is what we all hope for when we feel like God isn't making the path clear to us. We pray that, if we try to follow his statutes with goodwill and fulfill our duties in life, then, in His good timing, we shall eventually understand the plan that shapes this particular aspect of our lives. Or, if that is not how God manifests Himself, then we hope that we may someday - perhaps in Heaven - look back and see that, indeed, God's providence had been bringing us to Him all along.

March Book Bracket 2024

 March 2024 Bracket

We're very grateful to be in our new place...and working on getting back to leisure time for reading and listening to audiobooks! It looks like I missed one book in my February lineup, so it's listed first here.

Lost in Thought, by Zena Hitz** (February)

A college professor and Catholic convert considers the intellectual life in what it ought to be as well as where it can fail individuals who approach it with the wrong perspective.

Why I picked it up: It was on my list of books to read after it was quoted in With All Her Mind, a book that has had some far-reaching effects on me since I read it last spring. It was available for free through my Audible subscription.

My impressions: This book was good, but heady enough that it really would be best to read a physical copy. Why, oh why does Audible pick the books that work the worst as audiobooks to make available for free for subscribers? All that aside, I remember the last chapter or so being the most impactful, as it calls out issues with academia today - issues that I see all to easily myself. I appreciate that Hitz addressed the pitfalls of approaching intellectual development as a means to an end, which is certainly an issue for pretty much any college-goer today. I think some of my favorite parts of this book were her excerpts from a work that studied the intellectual life of the working English class, circa the Industrial Revolution. These excerpts were great reminders that one can pursue an intellectual life in spite of less-than-inspiring or intellectual work. Hitz seems to advocate a very sincere search for truth, but claims Catholic institutions (she's a Catholic convert) are also subject to some of the same problems as secular ones (it's been a minute, I can't exactly remember which ones). I'd be curious about what her practical solutions are to some of those problems. Overall, I think it'd be a good book for those who are part of higher learning institutions to read, especially liberal arts colleges.

Understood Betsy, by Dorothy Canfield Fisher**

A girl in the care of overcautious relations learns a new way of living and with her "backwoods" relatives, who teach her different ways of learning and doing.

Why I picked it up: A galpal recommended this one to me a while back. I found out it was different from the Betsy-Tacy series, which I wasn't nearly as interested in, and that it was an audiobook in the public domain.

My impressions: The book had a little bit of a slow start for me, and yet, in spite of that and the lack of clear plot (it's about a girl's moral and mental development with a different set of family), I really enjoyed the book. I loved the depiction of the helicopter-parent-type Aunt Frances, as well as the effects her too-solicitous manner had on Betsy. Some of Betsy's adventures with the Putneys on the Vermont farm had a little feel of Little Women or The Little House on the Prairie series. The ending was extremely satisfying, with Fisher beautifully depicting the difficulties of communicating in a metaphor in the last chapter. This story stirred up in me a love for and wonder of simple things, such as kittens and doing productive work, like making butter. I'd recommend this book to any girl, particularly those who enjoyed the works I mentioned earlier.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, by Barbara Robinson**

Beth, the daughter of the interim Christmas pageant director, reflects on the experience of having the six Herdman siblings - the bad kids in town - take over the major roles of the church's annual Christmas pageant.

Why I picked it up: I'd heard some of the Read-Aloud Revival folks talk about this work and how enjoyable it was, so I decided to give it a try - even though it was February.

My impressions: There's a mix of feelings left over after finishing a listen to this work. The author did a wonderful job of painting a picture of just how bad the Herdman kids were, and making it extremely funny. At the same time, it was unusual to have a book where so much attention was devoted to just how bad some characters were. I noticed one mention of the kids being accused of only ever talking about sex, and the irreverent use of the Lord's name in vain multiple times, which was meant to be funny. So, there were some definite knocks against blithely reading this book out loud to any and all children - at least, not without some editing and/or discussion. However, there were really wonderful moments in the story, too. Beth's friend, who got intimidated out of her usual role as Mary, shows some very un-Mary-like judgment, depicting a fault that I find all too easily in myself. Robinson really considers what the Christmas story might sound like to people who have never heard the Nativity narrative before - and it brings home the strangeness of God becoming man and being born in extreme poverty, in a rather Chestertonian manner. It hit all the right notes for what a Christmas tale should be - which is making the tale of Jesus' birth fresh and new and meaningful to ears which have heard it for years and years, and therefore, lost the wonder for God's great love for mankind. So, while I can't say I'd necessarily recommend the book because of its questionable content, there is, at the same time, something to be gained and enjoyed by those readers who choose to pick it up. It's very much a mixed bag.

The Lances of Lynwood, by Charlotte Mary Yonge**

The page Eustace is knighted after showing valor and courtesy taking a prisoner in battle, but finds himself the victim of slander and intrigue as he tries to act as rightful guardian to his nephew.

Why I picked it up: I needed another book to listen to while continuing to put the house in order, and this one (in the public domain) has been on my to-read list for a long time.

My impressions: When the book first started, I admit that it didn't seem as engaging as I recalled The Young Duke (also by Yonge) had been. However, by the end, I was invested in the outcome and pleased with the ending. This is a great historical fiction book for young readers - like G. A. Henty, but I enjoyed the prose better. The characters were rather static, but that did not prevent the tale from being enjoyable. The background research that must have been conducted helps immerse the reader in the worldview as it was then - with a special emphasis on chivalry. Some of the characters are superstitious and one healer woman is accused of witchcraft merely due to language differences, not looking pretty, and the hallucinations of the one in her care...her efforts to help him are rewarded with the burning of her hovel, although she seems to escape other harm. The focus of the tale is certainly on the nobility, the class where the rules of courtesy have the most hold. I enjoyed the tale, and I think others would, too - especially those readers who enjoyed Men of Iron and the medieval tales of Allen French.

By What Authority? An Evangelical Discovers Catholic Tradition, by Mark Shea**

In order to defend the faith against proponents of the "Jesus seminar" (a group that promotes a very secular view of Jesus), an Evangelical dove deeply into how the Bible canon was established - and discovered that the authority of the Bible lies with the Catholic Church.

Why I picked it up: This audiobook was available for free on the Formed app. Within the last year, a galpal had blogged about reading it, so the title was more familiar when I was scrolling through Formed's offerings.

My impressions: This is a unique work - part apologetics, part personal witness, and just a little hint of conversion story, with some good humor and approachable imagery mixed in. I will admit that there were some parts that were a little harder to follow along with - whether from of the shortcomings of audiobooks for certain more involved works, or from fatigue of following a very thorough examination at times, I'm not sure. That doesn't mean this is a heady, formally academic book - it's well-researched, but overall, nicely readable (listenable??). I learned a lot about how secularism can try to undermine the Gospel, as well as about the role of "tradition" in the Catholic faith. Shea did some great research here, and his knowledge of the Bible shines and makes me want to fall more in love with the Bible myself. I think this would be a great work for high schoolers and older to read, whether they're interested in the Bible or apologetics.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library, by Chris Grabenstein**

A group of kids win a lock-in in a brand new library funded by the local bizarre game-making tycoon, and discover that a grand prize is on the line for the first person who finds their way out.

Why I picked it up: My cousin said he'd enjoyed the book, and as someone who enjoys children's books, I figured it would be fun to try. I forgot I'd placed it on hold through the library, so I was surprised to have it pop up when I recently opened up the library's online content app.

My impressions: Imagine an escape room, but the room you're locked in is a beyond-state-of-the-art library and the gamemaster is a super silly grown-up. Add some likeable characters (and maybe one or two not-so-likeable ones) and an underlying, right-there-in-the-open message about the wonders of a library, and you've got this book. This book was pretty good, and I can easily see lots of youthful readers enjoying this book. I'd say it's more fun than The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, one of the many works referenced in this book, and though it's a little light on the character development, it was a good romp and had a satisfying ending.

Tales from the Perilous Realm, by J. R. R. Tolkien

This book is a collection of fantasy short stories and poems by Tolkien, and includes his famous essay "On Fairy Stories" as an appendix.

Why I picked it up: I want to reread more books, and this was the one that struck my fancy for that purpose.

My impressions: Some stories and poems are better than others, with the first third of "Roverandom" being very slow, but the story finishing better. "Farmer Giles of Ham" was whimsical and delightful, as ever; "Smith of Wooton Major" was not as enjoyable this time around as I remembered it being, but still good. I can't say I loved the collection of poems either time reading through, but "Leaf by Niggle" hit home in the lovely way that it has. It is a little uncomfortable in parts - the parts where I feel called out - but it is also poignant and beautiful. It is the call-out that Lewis' The Great Divorce is, as well as Bishop Barron's identification of beauty as a very important means for evangelization. It is a reflection on mortality, the gifts we are given, the works of mercy, and helps inspire a longing for Heaven - at least, it did for me. This is a great book for fans of LOTR, but some of these stories would be good for any reader, I think.

Awaking Wonder, by Sally Clarkson**

The homeschooling mother of four talented, creative children gives a description of her family's education model, values, and some encouragement for those who educate children, to boot.

Why I picked it up: I'm trying to make use of the books I can listen to for free through the Audible subscription I have, which I'll probably end soon; this book sounded interesting to me, since I'd heard about the Clarksons through podcasts and read a book by one.

My impressions: I think this books is great for laying out the "whys" behind homeschooling, with the emphasis being on the desire to awaken a sense of wonder, which can lead to a dedication to lifelong learning. It reminded me of grad school, and the discussion of trying to make us "critical thinkers," as opposed to...well, uncritical thinkers, who just accept what we're given in class. I appreciate that Clarkson stated that, even if one doesn't homeschool their kids, her ideas can be adapted to other educational models. While I'm pretty confident that she's right, this book definitely approaches education with a homeschool model in mind. I love the sound of what can be achieved - who doesn't love the idea of an education that is personalized to each and every child, instead of teaching to a quasi-arbitrary standard? However, as someone who is not likely to be able to pursue the homeschooling route, it's a bit difficult to imagine how these ideals can be enacted with children attending the average public/private school. Come to think of it, I've encountered multiple advocates for homeschooling in recent years. These entities seek to encourage homeschooling parents and praise homemakers for all the beautiful work they do, assuring them that it's worth it - and it absolutely is. No argument there. But where are the podcasts and books encouraging parents in dual-income households who desire to impart beauty and foster wonder in their children? Maybe I'll have to become that resource. Someday. Maybe not. Tangent done. This book would be great for homeschooling parents, those parents considering homeschooling, and those needing to reconnect with their ideals for why they desire to raise their children in a way that isn't considered normal today.

A Heart on Fire: Rediscovering Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, by Fr. James Kubicki, S.J.

This priest explains and explores the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, considering its history and more contemporary documents and addresses.

Why I picked it up: This was one of many books recommended or listed as resources in The Heart of Perfection, one of the best books I read last year. I wanted to learn more about this devotion - I've heard about it for forever, but I thought it would be worth exploring more deeply.

My impressions: This book is a great introduction and explanation of the Sacred Heart devotion. I learned a lot, including that the devotion - although outlined explicitly in the second millennium (1600s maybe?), one could argue it has roots all the way back in the early Church. Especially helpful were explanations of the promises associated with the devotion (the promises aren't meant to indicate devotees automatically get to Heaven - they actually denote that there will be certain fruits that naturally come to bear in the lives of faithful devotees) and the explanation of why the Morning Offering is such a beautiful and important prayer. This book has me more intentionally thinking about what may or may not be pleasing to Jesus, saying the Morning Offering prayer with more intention and regularity, and discussing with my husband about the possibility of devoting our family to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, maybe in the summer. I think any high school or adult Catholic would benefit from reading this work, particularly those learning about the devotion, or those who, like me, have heard of this devotion all their lives, but couldn't really explain its elements or why it's important.

Bracket Play

This month's bracket was hard to complete because, while the books sometimes shared similarities, they were, at heart, all vastly different from each other. However, I knew who the winner would be from the start.

I began by relegating Lost in Thought, February's forgotten read, to its own little island where it wouldn't compete. Poor lost little work. It was alright, but I felt it was a book that is best enjoyed in a physical format.

Then, I began the work of whittling down the competitors. Tolkien's short stories definitely won out over the questionable-content-laced work The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. That second book did pack a punch and leave me pondering, but Tolkien's works - the ever-delightful "Farmer Giles of Ham" and the heartache-inducing-in-the-best-way "Leaf by Niggle" amongst them - left it far behind. And it's something I feel I could recommend to a wider audience. I opted for Sally Clarkson's work on educating children and instilling wonder over Yonge's historical fiction mainly because Clarkson's work had me mulling over things more. However, with such disparate works, it's hard to judge. Kubicki's book - the only physical book I read this month - won over Mark Shea's apologetics-personal witness work, and Understood Betsy beat out the more modern children's work by Grabenstein - although that was a good one, too. After the first round things got easier as far as figuring out the bracket goes. Tolkien beat Clarkson, and the religious work Heart on Fire beat Understood Betsy. In fact, Kubicki's book went on to win it all. His work had me thinking, praying differently, and making resolutions. It was definitely worthy of winning a month packed with books.

Books Put Down

A Severe Mercy, by Sheldon Vanauken

A man relates the nature of his hyper-close relationship to his wife, Davy, their befriending of C. S. Lewis, their conversion to Christianity, and his loss of her to illness.

Why I picked it up: It had been on my list for a while, I'd picked it up cheap, and it was the first book my Well-Read Moms group was discussing.

Why I put it down: Well, I could tell it was going to be sad, and about halfway through, it wasn't as enjoyable or as peaceful an experience as I would have liked. I also had other books I wanted to read, namely one I had in mind for Holy Week. So, I can see myself trying it again someday, but I would probably skim through the rest, if I'm being entirely honest.