Recent Reads {Read For the Heart}

Read For the Heart: Whole Books for Wholehearted Families by Sarah Clarkson - Sarah Clarkson is the adult daughter of well-known homeschool author Sally Clarkson.  In this book, she shares her own love of books which was fostered by her family's priority on reading and enjoying books.  Clarkson begins by sharing how important good books are to a well-rounded education and a well-lived life, through stories from her own experience as well as research that highlights the value of reading quality books.  She then shares book recommendations in many different categories and genres, with brief summaries of the books along with age guidelines.  I found this to be a great resource, with ideas for read-alouds and for companions to our science and history studies, and full of encouragement and inspiration to keep providing opportunities for my children to get familiar with good literature and uplifting stories.

Recent Reads {Jane Eyre}

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - since I was kind of on a classic novel kick, I thought I'd better include the Bronte sisters on my reading list.  I have to admit it took me awhile to really get into this one.  Just at the point where I was thinking to myself "is this whole book going to be about Jane being 10 years old at the boarding school?" she introduced the tenth chapter by skipping ahead several years to the time she spent as a teacher at the same school, and the following chapter finally took her to Thornfield Hall where she would meet Edward Rochester.  From that point on, the novel had my full attention with the melodrama, psychology, and the unlikely romance between Jane and Rochester.  I was often reminded of the type of Gothic romance that Austen satirized in Northanger Abbey - a dark secret hidden somewhere in the mansion that threatens the happiness of the lovers.  There are coincidences and foreshadowings to spare, yet it all seems to "fit" and doesn't seem unbelievable at all while reading.  I also noticed the contrast in Bronte's style and Austen's  - Austen leaves the reader to decide what characters look like, other than the barest of descriptions, and really doesn't spend much time describing settings in detail; while Bronte goes into great detail about the appearance of characters and engages in lengthy descriptions of settings.  These features are used to establish character and mood.  I truly enjoyed this classic novel, and it's reminded me that I never did finish the Jasper Fforde series that stars with The Eyre Affair, and its many references to Jane and other characters from the novel!

Recent Reads {Already Gone}

Already Gone by Ken Ham & Britt Beemer with Todd Hillard - This book explores the results of research into the reasons why young people are leaving the church, and suggests the issues that need to be addressed in order to rectify the problem.  Why have America's churches lost a generation of believers?  The research suggests that it may be largely due to the lack of a firm stand on the authority of Scripture and a failing to teach apologetics and to connect the Bible with the real world.  One thousand twenty-somethings who were raised in the church but no longer attend were surveyed, and the results deserve our attention and sober consideration if we want to change outcomes.  I think this book should be required reading for Sunday School teachers, youth directors, and parents.

Recent Reads {The Scarlet Letter}

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne - This classic American novel is on the reading list for American Literature (Notgrass Exploring America) and even though Spencer will not be reading it this year, I decided I would like to read through everything on the list.  I vaguely remember reading it many years ago, and oddly enough I couldn't remember exactly how it ended.  I read it this week and once I'd adjusted to Hawthorne's style, I found it hard to put down!  In keeping with the story's theme, the tone of the narrative is rather dark, and the reader is immediately drawn into sympathy with Hester Prynne as she stoically faces her public humiliation for adultery, and wears her beautifully embroidered letter almost as a badge of honor.  She refuses to name the man who fathered her child, but the reader is left to decide why she withholds the information - whether love or fear motivates her.  As fate would have it, her husband, whom all had presumed dead, shows up and takes it upon himself to discover her fellow-sinner and take revenge, and he convinces Hester to keep the secret of his identity as well.  Over the years, the townspeople gentle in their treatment of Hester, although she and her child are never accepted as part of the town's society.  Hester finally decides to tell Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale (who is the child's father) the true identity and intent of the man acting as his physician when she sees how Arthur's health and spirits are failing.  Arthur and Hester decide to run away and return to Europe, but Arthur realizes he is near death, and so he mounts the scaffold where Hester was punished and confesses his sin.  Definitely not a happy ending, feel-good book, but thought-provoking.  It's easy to understand why it is considered a classic.

Recent Reads {Cleopatra's Daughter}

Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran - I didn't know much, if anything, about the children of Cleopatra and Marc Antony before reading this historical novel, so it came as a bit of a surprise to me that the daughter, Kleopatra Selene, and her husband were known for their great love story as well. Moran's well-researched novel tells the story, from Selene's viewpoint, of the defeat of Marc Antony and the death of Cleopatra, followed by the exile of the three youngest children to Rome under Caesar Augustus (as he would be later known). Selene and her twin brother Alexander must cope with the sudden deaths of both parents, followed by their captivity and the death of their younger brother.  They are treated as honored guests in Rome, brought up in the Caesar's household, with his sister Octavia (who was Marc Antony's former wife! - this is where soap operas get some of their ideas, I think!) as their guardian.  Friendships grow and are threatened, especially as they all grow older and closer to marriageable age.  At the same time, someone calling himself the Red Eagle is challenging the system of slavery in Rome and stirring up possible rebellion, and Alexander and Selene have their own speculations about the Red Eagle's identity.  Selene faces tragedy, fear and injustice with determination and hope, and there is a happy ending for her when she is given in marriage to Juba, the heir to the kingdom of Mauretania who has been serving Caesar for most of his life.  This is a great read for anyone interested in this historical time period!

Recent Reads {Miniatures and Morals}

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Miniatures and Morals - the Christian novels of Jane Austen by Peter J Leithart - Several years ago a friend recommended a book by Peter Leithart, a literary study of the Old Testament.  I purchased it, read it, and loved it, and have been a Leithart fan ever since.  I have a couple other books of his, and the ones I don't own are on my wish lists.  Near the beginning of this year, a fellow blogger mentioned challenging herself to read all of Jane Austen's works in 2011, using Leithart's Miniatures and Morals as her study guide.  I decided to take the same challenge, purchased the book and started in.  Yesterday I finished the final Austen novel on the list (Persuasion) and also the final chapter of Leithart's insightful commentary and analysis.  Leithart is a Senior Fellow of Literature and Theology at New Saint Andrews College, and his study of the characters and themes in Austen's novels focuses on her 'miniaturist' style and her interest in Christian virtues.  While the novels are never 'preachy' it is clear that godly virtues such as patience, self-control, charity, honesty, and integrity are held in high esteem by Austen and her noble characters.  Leithart brings these to the fore, showing how Austen highlights the virtues and contrasts the characters that display them with the characters that are lacking, often using irony and wit to do so.  The book opens with a chapter entitled Real Men Read Austen (how can you not love a book with that chapter title!?), in which he extols Austen as a master of intelligent humor and a writer with incredible insight into human behavior; and challenges the notion that Austen's novels are only for women.  He admits that much of the action does take place in quiet domestic settings such as drawing rooms and formal gardens, but asserts that she creates strong male characters who may be considered Christlike lovers in that they are willing to sacrifice for their brides and are servant-heroes.  Leithart also suggests that men can learn much about romance from a woman's point of view by reading Austen, and that she is a leading commentator on ethics, morality, culture, and public theology.  Worth reading, indeed!  From there, he analyzes each of Austen's novels in turn, beginning with Pride and Prejudice, showing how each focuses on a set of manners, moral guidelines and attitudes.  The commentaries include review and thought questions, so this book can be used for the casual reader to enhance their understanding and enjoyment of Austen's work; as well as for the scholar who wants to delve deeper into the literary and theological themes.  I am confident this book could be used as part of a Literature course for high schoolers, and to that end, I do intend to use it in that way for my daughter when she reaches high school age.  She already is enjoying the BBC mini-series adaptations of several Austen novels with me, so I have reason to believe she will thoroughly enjoy reading them herself when she is a few years older.  I highly recommend this book to all Jane Austen fans!

 

Recent Reads {Persuasion}

Persuasion by Jane Austen - Although Pride and Prejudice remains my favorite Austen novel, it's hard to say whether Persuasion or Sense and Sensibility would earn second place.  A very close second place too!  Austen begins this love story when Anne Elliott is getting very close to 30 years old, and her family is facing the prospect of moving out of their ancestral home because of their reduced financial situation.  Anne and her older sister are spinsters and their marriage prospects are dwindling.  Her father, Sir Walter, is vain and self-absorbed, and his preoccupation with acting the fine gentleman and giving every appearance of being wealthy and socially important has led him to spend more than he ought.  Instead of taking Anne's counsel to simply cut back on their style of living, the Elliotts choose instead to lease out their home so they can continue to pretend to wealth and consequence in the resort town of Bath.  As it turns out, the property is leased to a couple related to Captain Frederick Wentworth, with whom Anne had had a relationship some seven or eight years prior.  At that time, Anne had been persuaded to break off the engagement because of her family's objections to Wentworth's inferior connections and fortune.  With all of that background, clearly the reunion between Anne and Wentworth will be awkward and uncomfortable, and while we know that Anne is still deeply in love with Wentworth, we don't know what his feelings are.  Anne herself must rely on studying his expressions and actions, and on snippets of conversation to deduce what his attitude towards her may be, as propriety doesn't allow her to open the subject or even have a private conversation with him.   The story follows all the circumstances surrounding their meeting again and all the situations in which they are thrown together in the company of the many other characters, and the growing conviction Anne has that he still cares for her.  I found this a delightful love story, and the supporting cast of characters provides ironic humour and insightful glimpses into behavior, manners, and relationships.

By the same author:  Emma, Pride and Prejudice, Northanger Abbey, Sense and Sensibility, The History of England, Mansfield Park