Memento Mori

Current stats:
2 books total
.5 books average per week
140 pages (.25 pages per day)

Genres:
Nonfiction: 1
Fiction: 1

67. The Magician's Nephew, CS Lewis

68. The Darkness of Twilight, Steve Wohlberg

Book 65: Bertie Wooster Sees It Through, PG Wodehouse. 240pp

Entertaining, to be sure. Like I said the other day, my frame of mind has been hardly conducive to concentration on a lot of things... which dulled slightly the enjoyment, unfortunately, but that is not to say I'll never read another Wodehouse, because I'm sure I will.

I'm so impressed with his ability to take a complex plot as intensely tangled up as linguine on a merry-go-round and actually make it all conclude in a sensible and satisfactory manner.

Book 64: The Great Controversy, Ellen White. 678pp

What can I really say about this book that I haven't already said (albeit mostly in my old LJ)? It is, seriously, one of the most profoundly moving pieces of Christian writing I've ever come across, and I'm very glad that I made a conscious effort to stick to it after having set it aside for months during a dull place fairly early on.

When I sit and contemplate the battle that is going on for our souls, the simplicity of what God has ever required of His people, and the glorious promise of victory to those who endure to the end, I'm overwhelmed.

Yet there's a definite solemnity about all this, too. In very vivid language, mincing no words, does the author expound on what we can expect if we are of the final generation to live on this earth (which I'm inclined to believe we are). It's not going to be a picnic. In fact, I tremble at the very thought of what awaits us and pray the more earnestly that I personally through the grace and strength of Christ can make it through that time.

More than anything else I want to be with Jesus, and I am so thankful that through prophecy we are told what will happen so we need not guess what's what. We can know if we really care to know.

Book 58: The Doll People, Ann M Martin. 256pp

Saw this one and had to get it. I mean, I've always been hugely fascinated by stories about dolls and dolls' houses, and I was definitely curious to see how a modern-day author would handle this kind of story, especially since it deals (partly) with antique dolls.

I didn't find it great (The Dolls' House by Rumer Godden still holds first place for me there), but it was good; fresh and entertaining in its mixing of old dolls and old dollhouse with a modern, plastic doll family and house; very funny in regards to the little pesty sister who played things like "flying kitchen sink"; and the illustrations were quite nice.

The story itself wasn't always all that engrossing, but the fun of the style and interaction of characters kept the ball rolling when the plot lacked.

***

Book 59: Husband-Coached Childbirth, Robert A Bradley. 231pp

Borrowed this from our midwife, and it was enjoyable to read. There are *some* bones I could pick with it. Clearly the author is not keen on homebirth. Boo.

Also, he can't seem to resolve in his head whether a Creator made us human souls or we are just human animals in the evolutionary chain. One or the other, but seriously, make up your mind and be consistent.

Oh, and my husband is not a bad cook just because he is a man. In fact, he is quite good.

Those things aside, however, I did really find it a fun read. He has a dry sense of humour as he discusses how to handle various situations and frequently refers to "Gone With the Wind" being responsible for various myths about, say, miscarrying automatically when falling down stairs. I did glean quite a lot of good information from it while remaining sceptical about other bits and pieces.

All in all, it made me glad that we are choosing to do an unmedicated birth and made me feel a lot more ready to meet the experience rather than panicking that I won't be able to do it.

Book 56: Skating Shoes, Noel Streatfeild. 245pp

This was a delightful, refreshing little book. Easy to follow, with characters both realistic and interesting. I enjoy stories of children who are learning to face life by doing rather than living vicariously through, say, television or video games. I especially liked the enterprising nature of the main character's older brother and how all the children (okay, maybe not Edward) had long-term plans they were working out to help get the family's finances straightened out. Teamwork. Very pleasant.

Book 54: Notes from a Small Island, Bill Bryson. 324pp

I found this a tad dull. I had high hopes because I love England so much and was hoping for something a little more dynamic... I can't really explain why it fell short for me. He seemed to gripe about a lot of things. Perhaps also because there was little interaction with another person (say, Katz of "A Walk in the Woods") to liven it up? I'm not sure.

It didn't make me feel like I wanted to go to England, though, by any means. If I hadn't already been there and fallen in love with the place, it might turn me off to the idea of ever bothering.

And it was very easy to put the book down... hence why it has taken me this long to get it read.

Book 52: Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn, Penny Simkin et al. 475pp

This is another one I was very pleased with. If I were to buy only one reference book on this topic for my own library, this would be the one. Far better than "What to Expect" in every way (I wish I could get my $5 back for that one). It has a much more laid-back presentation, presenting fair and balanced views of all the options available rather than assuming you're automatically having a hospital birth with all the trimmings. It doesn't spend a lot of time focusing on the pregnancy part, but the childbirth/labour section was easily the best I've read so far. Lots of detail and good information (that I'll probably never remember when I need it, but that's irrelevant).

Book 53: In a Sunburned Country, Bill Bryson. 304pp

I found it a nice, educational springboard toward knowledge about Australia. Because, honestly, I really know nothing about the place besides that misspennycarrol lives there and that automatically makes it awesome.

Some reviewers claim that his observations are very generalised and a bit biased. This may or may not be true. Having never been to Australia and all, I wouldn't be the one to know. I do know he has a fixation on bars and pubs. Were I to go down there, the bars and pubs are not where I would be going... His fixations on dangerous wildlife are incredibly amusing and I thoroughly enjoyed the narrative.

***

Well, I've officially already made my goal of one book per week for the year, so I'm ahead of my game here. This makes me happy. Not that I intend to stop reading now, but hoping I can keep up a fairly steady pace.

Current stats:
7 books total (Hey... that's a big improvement over the last few months!
1.75 books average per week
1862 pages ( 66.5 pages per day)

Genres:
Nonfiction: 2
Fiction: 5

Bible books read:
Ezekiel

Book 49: The First Fast Draw, Louis L'Amour. 156pp

It may be a while before it actually sinks in that I of all people actually just read a WESTERN NOVEL.

Seriously. This is ME we are talking about here.

It took me a while to get into it and adjust to the odd cadence of the narrator's voice, but by the time I got to the third chapter or so I stopped noticing that so much and was able to better focus on the story itself.

It was nice and fast-paced, did not waste time with unwieldy narrative, and while certain parts of it were predictable, there was enough that wasn't to keep me from feeling completely cheated of an hour of my life.

On the whole, not a bad read. I would like to read a couple more of his books before I really form an opinion.

Book 47: The Good Earth, Pearl S Buck. 323pp

Having thoroughly enjoyed the movie some years ago, I always intended to read the book but never got around to it until now.

It is a different animal from the movie (what book isn't?). It is more gritty and realistic as far as the tension between the family members. Overall, very sad, yet at the same time inspiring because it makes you realise things you shouldn't do.

I was talking to Dan about it, because it's an almost perfect illustration of the opposite of what our goal in life is, two parts of which is to give our children a strong work ethic and live beneath our means, using our extra money for something that really matters, such as helping someone else who actually needs it.

Because, clearly, to be rich is not the ultimate goal.