Lynness: Affluenza, etc.

When we visited Utah in March, I grabbed a few books from Rae's discard pile, one of them being "Affluenza," a follow-up to the PBS documentary of the same name.  I just started it and have gotten through the "symptoms" section.  If you want a book that is well written, moves quickly, and makes you think about really important things, then read this.  I highly recommend it- so far- I hope the rest is as eye-opening as the first part.  Here is my response, written just before bed last night, to the first section:

We are the hollow ones
whose center cannot hold-
so much nothing
made from Something Grand.
And there is something ex nihil
after all:
Piles of debt and dross
And cups running over with emptiness
in the land of plenty.
A land flowing with guilt and money.

It reminds me of a verse in Haggai: (Chapter 1)

  5 Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; ^aConsider your ways.

  6 Ye have ^asown much, and bring in little; ye ^beat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that ^cearneth wages earneth ^dwages to put it into a bag with ^eholes.

Just a completely random question:  had anybody ever read Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South?  (Not the Civil War one- N&S of England in the industrial revolution.  Class conflict, worker's unions, and of course, Jane Austen-ish love).  I absolutely love the movie, but our library system doesn't have the book, though it has Cranford, but I found I couldn't seem to get into that.  I thought about buying it online, but wanted to know if it was good, since Cranford wasn't up my alley.

Also, if you want to read something really prescient about the internet (and really feel like Big Brother is right around the corner in the process), read "The Big Switch."  Did you know Google's stated aim is to create artificial intelligence from all the data it gathers about us?

Lulu: Prejudice

I "went away" for a little while and came back to some very thought-provoking posts, all of which spurred some interesting conversation between Phill and I.

We actually talk about these things often. We've talked about the possibility of adopting in the future--because of various promptings--and race is one aspect we discuss in that vein. We don't have a preference as to the color or gender of the baby/child we will adopt one day. We honestly don't. We will take the one who needs us! But we're not unaware of obstacles a child might face if adopted into a family of a different race. Although we have no problem with a baby or child of another race, we know that there are some who would question it. And so we discuss that aspect, too, examining our own beliefs and probing for hints of prejudice. I know I'm not without prejudice, but I don't usually feel like it's something that is a problem for me. Perhaps I'm complacent? We find ourselves generalizing. And we find ourselves struggling not to do that when we watch the news. We're far from perfect, too.

In Hinesville, we were amongst what I always thought was a pretty evenly balanced black-to-white ratio of people. I do remember that when we moved there, it wasn't hard adjusting to the various ethnicities present--I had come from a school in Belgium which hosted students from 35 different countries--what was hard for me was that I did feel like the minority, and I did feel afraid of saying something wrong without meaning to. I didn't even know if my black friend would want me to refer to her as black or African-American or something else. But I became best friends with her, and I feel like I learned a lot from her. She is the (girl) friend I remember most fondly from Georgia. (I met Phill in Georgia, so he takes the cake for all-time favorite.) I asked her what was okay once, and what wasn't, and her answer was so smart--she said that she couldn't possibly speak for all black people, just as I couldn't possibly speak for all white people. I remember feeling so completely stupid for viewing her as a spokesperson! And I still feel ashamed when I remember that! She actually asked me once, "Rachel, are you afraid of black people?" and I remember feeling that I honestly wasn't, but then saying that I would be more afraid approaching a black man on the street on a dark night in Hinesville than I would be of approaching a white man on the street on a dark night in Hinesville. I hated myself for saying that. I still hate that I ever felt that way. My friend was incredibly smart and incredibly helpful. She did mention that I ought to be healthily afraid of any man on a dark street anywhere at night, just to be safe. :) She actually helped me work through some of those feelings of fear that I think are the way my prejudices manifest themselves.

They're not all gone, though, and I do notice that living in Utah has had its effect on me. I actually miss seeing more black people. But I've noticed how Reed stares with wide, curious eyes when he sees anyone here who's not Hispanic or white. It doesn't ashame me that he does that, because he's only curious and he's seeing something new. He does refer to the little boy next door as The Brown Boy. He's Hispanic. It bothers me so much that Reed calls him that, but I think that is because of my own prejudices--not Reed's. He's only noticing the color of Javier's skin. He has no problem with it. It is simply descriptive in Reed's use. Why, then, does it bother me when Reed calls him that? Is it because I remember Javier that way? That I remember him as the Hispanic little boy next door? I don't like confronting these uglier aspects of myself--but I think that it's the only way to do as Rae and Abby said and learn to stop defining people as any -ites and see ourselves the way the Lord does.

Although Phill was robbed in Hinesville of his credit cards and a dollar from his wallet by three black men with guns and knives, my best friend in Georgia was a black girl, and Phill went to work every day in Fort Stewart with black men who were his friends and promised as soldiers to defend his life along with their own in times of war. We have also both met Ro, and we love him so much. He really is just a beautiful man, a giant spirit. I feel blessed to have him in the family.

I guess to summarize, I think the biggest pitfall Phill and I have is to generalize. The most trouble we get in is when we compare the masses against how we think all should be. Who are we to decide that? I know I have a long way to go before I am without prejudice.

It never occurred to me to pray about my issues, as I usually don't bring them to the forefront for examination. I'm grateful, though, for the awareness and for the chance to confront these things and work on being more like Christ would have me be.

Lynness: loving my neighbor as myself

Thinking back on BYU, I always wished there were MORE
black/Asian/Indian students, because I was used to that. It bugs me
that I feel the way I do as well, which is probably why I had such a
response to unload on everyone. But, as I said, hopefully I'm not
passing it on (as much) to my kids. I have been 'hyper-alert' to my
interactions with black people lately: I know I don't choose a white
checker's line at the store over a black checker's line or anything like
that (I choose the one that looks like it will go the fastest, which
somehow usually ends up being the longest one half the time), and when
we went for a walk the other evening in our neighborhood, it was all
black people we waved at and spoke to.
Rae, I think you kit the nail on the head when you said "I want so
much to love them. But I often don't." and how we just wish 'they'
would be more like 'us'. We all think that everything would be so much
easier if everyone were more like ourselves (not just races, but
genders, backgrounds, etc...). Perhaps this is WHY there are different
races: because we need to go through this process of becoming people
with no more '-ites' to love as the Savior does and to become like Him.

Rae: Wow, Lynness, What a Post!

I was most intrigued with what you wrote in your two recent posts. It made me analyze, yet again, my own feelings toward those of other races. It's an ongoing thing...I do it every so often to see if I have improved at all. I say improved because, yes, I am prejudiced in many ways and have a sincere desire to see all people the way the Savior does. But I don't. Yet.

My experience with blacks in school was in the Northwest, where they blended in nicely with everyone else. I don't remember too much in the way of racial difficulties in my junior or high schools. I had black friends. I was also chased and beaten up by a black girl. But I don't think it had anything to do with her race. Or mine. She just happened to be that color. I don't recall any black teachers, either. Your experience on the east coast was far different than mine.

Then I moved to Lancaster and basically lived in a mini ghetto. The blacks there seemed to have a real attitude of entitlement with everyone else owing them something. Whereas before I had no feelings one way or the other toward them, after a decade in CA, my attitude had really changed. I don't know the reasons (or the answers) why more blacks in my city seemed to be involved in crime, drugs, dysfunctional families, and gangs. I just know that I got really tired of it and it made me much more aware of my own "whiteness."

Then I acquired a black son-in-law. How I love him! I am able to talk to him openly about some of these very issues. I found that he doesn't particularly like the aspects of his black culture that bother me the most. He has been good for our family. We've talked about the difficulties our grandchildren could have being half-black and half-white. I appreciate the fact that he is open to conversation about race. Incidentally, do you suppose so many people like Obama because, although he is black, he doesn't fit the average stereotype? And I heard a poll saying that quite a large segment of the population still will not vote for a black man for President. Amazing.

My feelings toward Hispanics have moved in the same direction. I want so much to love them. But I often don't. I get tired of their seeming unwillingness to assimilate and learn English. Much of our increase in crime in Utah involves their presence. Why do fifteen Hispanic people have to live in the same house on my street? I know I don't love them like the Savior does. But I want to.

I think one of the great benefits of the Book of Mormon is to show us how to love one another as He does. To feel as if there are no "ites" among us. I do know that for the most part, when I deal with other races on an individual basis, I have no issues with them and often learn so much. It's the whole group mentality thing that gives me the greatest difficulty. It often shames me but it is what it is. For now.

Making the decision to go to Japan was difficult for me because of preconceived notions about Asian people. Scary to think I could feel this way in 2007. But it is so. I felt as though I had nothing in common with the Japanese (or other Asians). No place to start. But I received two wonderful blessings before I left and had some personal (and quite spiritual) experiences in Japan that were just for me...tender mercies from a loving Lord who knew what I needed. My feelings have changed and I have a love for the Japanese people. I can't begin to explain how...it's too personal. But it's happened.

I think the Church can open doors for us in that way. And I think that if our ultimate goal is to love people individually as the Savior does then he will help us move in that direction according to his timeline and our desires. At least Isaiah will be surrounded by those of different races where he is. He can learn to love individuals for who they are despite what their race's behavior in general might be. I think not having more diversity can cause problems too. A most interesting post. You always provoke my thoughts! Thanks...and happy reading!

Lynness: Addendum- learning more about me all the time

A few things to keep in mind, or to add to my last...
You've got to remember that I lived most of my public school life (2nd
half of 1st grade through12th) here in the county just minutes from
Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy, where statues of Confederate
heroes line Monument Avenue in Richmond a few streets from where I went
to high school. And that my mother and grandmother grew up here and that
all my mother's people were southern. (My daddy, however, is a Yankee.)
And you have to realize that for some here the Civil War lives on.
Growing up in this kind of environment is bound to leave a mark- whether
you're black or white.
While my mother and her family have never said anything very bad about
black people, the prevailing attitude was to just stay out of each
other's way. And while she has some very close black friends, all the
ones I can think of were not raised in America. I am sure I'm
stereotyping, but the African-American population seems to have an
attitude. And perhaps it is cultural- a reaction to the treatment their
ancestors received at the hands of mine; or perhaps a devil-may-care
posture in the face of continued inequality. I remember asking my mom
what she thought of the movie "Remember the Titans," which I enjoyed.
She was 6 when the Brown decision was handed down and experienced
desegregation in the Petersburg area, 25 minutes south of Richmond. She
said something along the lines of, "Well, the black kids I knew sure
weren't as nice as the ones in the movie."
I think that's my whole problem: generalizing. While I have no problem
interacting with black people on a person-to-person basis, I still can't
seem to shake the legacy that has been handed down to me. I certainly
would not feel comfortable going to a "black" church (and often wonder
what black investigators think when they come into our chapel and see
99% white people- I don't blame many for never coming back), and I don't
seek out black friends (although I don't seek out friends much period:
although not shy, (I love to teach- seminary, sign language, anatomy,
you name it) I am more of an introvert and prefer small groups or
one-on-one interaction and actually get stressed by having too many
social commitments or friends to keep up with.)
In the book that started all this, it noted that counties in VA with a
smaller black population were more liberal and had less of a problem
with integration, while places with larger black populations (like
Richmond) had more of a negative reaction. Why is this? Maybe because a
smaller population is less threatening while a bigger one seems in your
face all the time? Maybe that's the point I'm at- I am starting to feel
like a minority and, surprise, surprise! I don't like it...

Lynness: a really, really long response to my July read

I have a feeling that this might ramble a bit and be long. I didn't
really read all of my July read. I picked it up kind of late and it
isn't the most readable book- lots of quotes, court cases cited, and
statistics. The title is "The Color of Their Skin: Education and Race in
Richmond Virginia 1954-89." I never got a chance to browse the adult
section without kids running off (or trying to), so I kind of gave up on
my initial intent (finding something recent about Jamestown, the burning
of Richmond in the civil war, Thomas Jefferson- since we just went to
Monticello in May, or about the many first in Chesterfield County
history - first grist mill in the US, one of the first (if not the
first) coal mines, first railroad, etc..- all in the area in which I
grew up), though I still wouldn't mind reading about those things. Then
I chanced to hear a spot on PBS about an upcoming program and hear some
startling quotes about what white Virginia lawmakers in the 1950's had
to say against desegregation in public schools. One, by the governor, I
think, said that white and blacks in public schools together would
produce a 'mongrel breed' and basically would bring Virginia down. A few
days later I jumped onto the library's web site and search under this
topic and found surprisingly few entries, none of then recent. I went
and got the book I chose a few days later and have mainly browsed it,
but have been thinking much...
I know I am prejudiced to some degree. We all are- generally people
prefer the known to the unknown; the similar to the different. I can't
remember where, but I read recently about a sociologist (I guess) who
had modeled neighborhood segregation: even if 2 neighborhoods start out
homogenized, with equal numbers of, say, black and white families, where
there are no 'clusters'- it kind of goes white, black, white, black,
etc.- if a white family moves to the other neighborhood, then there
would be an opening between two black families. And because we tend to
prefer people who are similar, a black family is more likely to move in
there. And the white family who moved is more likely to move closer to
other white families. So the balance starts to be disrupted. And, over
time, everybody moves closer to those like them and in the end, you have
one black neighborhood and one white neighborhood.
The whole book was about Richmond's response to Brown v. Board of
Education, the failure of 'massive resistance' in other parts of VA,
where whole school systems were shut down for months, and the token
acceptance but passive resistance in Richmond that prolonged the
segregation and eventually caused a kind of re-segregation: in 1954 (the
year Brown was handed down) the Richmond school system was 57% white. In
1989 (when the book was written), it was 88% black.
I'm not going into all the history and ado it caused- that was the whole
book. I was interested because in 1989, I was in 4th and 5th grades in
Chesterfield County, just south of Richmond, which at one point- before
I was around- had been ordered to consolidate with the Richmond school
system in order to make the Richmond school system (predominately black)
more racially even. I was interested because I attended a high school in
downtown Richmond: a magnet school, mostly white, sharing a building
with a Richmond city public school, mostly black. And because now we
live on the 'Southside'- some of the poorest and most crime-ridden areas
of Richmond are on its south, and though we live in the county, not the
city (VA is unique in that incorporated cities are not part of any
county- they are their own entity), urban sprawl draws it ever closer
and all the Title I elementary schools in the county are around us. And
because Isaiah's class picture shows 6 white kids, 8 Hispanic kids and 8
black kids. And his afternoon summer day camp at the school has about 5
white kids and the great majority of the rest (of a total of 60 kids
when all are present) are black.
I do not remember any black kids in elementary school. I am sure there
were at least a handful, but not many. I had no black teachers. Most of
this was a result of where we lived. Ours was a predominately white
neighborhood, well into the county. We were the poor people- we got
'adopted' by various organizations to receive Easter baskets one year,
Christmas gifts the next. We had free lunches at school, often food from
the Bishop's storehouse at home. We moved after sixth grade to near
where Nathan and I live now and I attended a middle school that had a
much higher percentage of black students (and got bullied by a group of
black girls in the locker room and ended up getting sent to the
principal's office for 'fighting'). Still, no black teachers. In 8th
grade I was encouraged by guidance counselors to apply for The
Governor's School for Government and International Studies, a magnet
school for gifted and talented students drawn from 16 counties (talk
about busing!) I was accepted and for high school went to Thomas
Jefferson High School, a still-open Richmond city public school in
downtown Richmond (with bullet holes in the Art Room window on the first
floor). The book actually mentions my school. It discusses the plans
Richmond had for revitalizing the public school system and for cutting
down the 'white-flight' due to the school situation. One of their
successes was a magnet school known as Community High. The book mentions
plans for 3 more magnet schools, one of them a Governor's school at
Thomas Jefferson, to open in 1990. Open it did, but not until 1991 after
protests from TJ students, parents, alumni, and politicians and a
compromise was reached that stated we would only be there temporarily.
(A couple of years after I graduated, my sister Kate, who followed in my
footsteps there, was with the Governor's School when the move was made
to the abandoned Maggie Walker School. Ironically, this was originally
an all-black school that became the oh-so-successful Community High
magnet school. I have no idea what happened in the 10 years after the
book was written to bring it down.) At the Governor's School I had black
teachers, but do not remember feeling any element of surprise at being
taught by black educators, and black peers, but both were in the
minority. 2 of my circle of close friends were black (and two were
Asian, one from India, the rest white). I am pretty sure that my black
friends, at least, at times, were called or made to feel like 'Oreos'
(you know- black on the outside, white on the inside) by other black
people, not just because they went to a school perceived by black people
as 'white,' but because they spoke like white people- no Ebonics style
stuff- and appreciated things that are stereotypically more white
culture- classical music, etc..
Anyway- all these things have been going around in my head. I know my
parents are prejudiced, and my grandparents more so. Each generation is
hopefully successively less so, but what am I passing on to Isaiah? I
don't know if our neighborhood, which is quite large, is more black or
white, but our street (and we live on the nicer end of the neighborhood)
is almost all black. All the kids at the bus stop are black besides
Isaiah and one other boy who will be in middle school next year. I have
very deliberately never said anything disparaging or stereotypical about
any other race to him. I have never commented on the number of black
kids in his class, or that his teacher is black. I greet people, black
or white, in our neighborhood. Black kids are as welcome in my yard
after school as white ones. But I'm sure he knows by my actions that I
prefer white people as a whole to black people. I have black friends,
but none close. I don't feel I relate to most black people, but I have
never really tried to cultivate a deeper friendship. Really, I don't
have many friends outside of the Church period, and our Church is most
definitely (in North America, at least) predominately white, and so that
sets up some limits. Really I know that, by and large, most parents-
black or white- try to raise their children right and keep them safe,
but I guess somehow I'm scared, deep down, irrationally, that my kids
might get 'brought down' more by association with black kids than white
ones.
But here's the thing...is it prejudice to want to keep your child safe
when crime statistics show that there is more crime in lower income
neighbor hoods and that those lower income neighborhoods here are
usually predominately black, or, increasingly, Hispanic? Is it prejudice
to not want your child to come home talking like the other (black) kids?
It is interesting to me that black politicians and businessmen, i.e.
people with money and power and education do not speak like the black
people all around me speak. It seems to more education a black person
has, the more white they sound. So I say it's not color you hear, it's
level of education. And is it wrong to not want my children to sound
uneducated?
I was talking to my sister about not being sure about sending Isaiah to
the school he is in now and she told me I was prejudiced. I responded
that the problem was not so much color as income. Now, before you go and
remind me that my family was the poor one and not get so high and
mighty, let me say that we had the gospel and we had a mother who stayed
home. Most of the kids- black, white, whatever- in our area and going to
Isaiah's school do not have stay-at-home mothers. Many in our
lower-income area are single-parent families. Those with 2 parents
usually have both working outside of the home. In many cases this cannot
be avoided, but the result is that the children are raised by the world.
In day cares since birth, in front of TV's for hours at a time since
toddlers, running around the streets without supervision, etc.. I don't
really want my son around these kids who know what they should not at
this age and teach him. I have a friend who moved from beside us to a
neighborhood (much more expensive than we could afford) where the
parents are well-educated and much more careful about the raising of
their children. But the Nephites had a problem with pride and
opportunity for education and level of income. Am I prejudiced against
poor people? (How can I be- I am one. Well, not really poor, but we
qualified for a 50% reduction in the cost for the summer camp put on by
the county because of income. We are...part of the eroding middle-class.)
So the upshoot is- I'd like to move into a better area- better
neighborhood and schools (although I have no problem with the academics-
it's the environment), further from the city- and meanwhile there's a
revitalization going on downtown, and now it's hip to be in the city
again, but if you want to be anywhere decent/safe, you've got to have a
pile of money. So the rich white move in to the nice places in the city,
the black population pushes further into the county, and the white
population flees ever outward, driving up the prices in recently rural
areas. More white flight- and I'm a part of it, or would like to be. Am
I prejudiced? What do I do about it?

Rae: Answer to Abby and Fantasy Read

I heartily recommend Japanland and Confucius Lives Next Door. They were probably the best reads about the culture. I read one before I left and one when I got back...so I think they are pretty spot on.

Bill loved Eragon the book and didn't like the movie at all. Duran didn't like the book but loved the movie. Guess there's no accounting for taste? Bill has also read Eldest and we are eagerly awaiting the last leg of the trilogy due out in September. I already have it ordered on Amazon.

I think I will try my hand at The Golden Compass for my fantasy read. It is listed as a fantasy rather than science fiction so I think that fits the bill. I was intrigued with all the controversy surrounding the movie. I am often drawn to the banned books and find that, more often than not, all the hubbub is silly. This series is supposed to be really anti-Catholic and anti-morals.

I don't regularly read in either of these genres (although I have read a lot of them over the years) so I will have to take a trip to the liberry and see if I can find a sci-fi book that catches my eye. Bill wants to read Dune but I have seen enough of the movies that I don't think it's up my alley. I might have to pick Duran's brain too as he loves sci-fi. I'm excited to be reading something different!

I recently bought a non-resident card at Spanish Fork library because the Payson one is just too small. Spanish Fork's is a bit bigger...and the fee was cheaper than the $100 that Provo wanted. SP was only $25 a year. Much better and not as long a drive.

Happy reading!

Abby: July, August & September Reads

I think I've already mentioned that sometimes I don't pick a book for the month because I can't think of anything quickly. It's not a very good reason at all. But that's what has kept me from reading in our topic for July. If I think of something before the month is up, I'll give it a try!

August & September will be easy for me because I love science fiction and fantasy and already have two books in mind. For fantasy I'm going to read Eragon. I have heard many good things about the book. From what I hear, the movie is nothing like the book which is promising. I thought the movie was pretty lame. (That was a first for me - watching a movie before having read the book!) For science fiction I'm going to read something by Isaac Asimov. Eric is reading Asimov's Foundation Series in chronological order right now and loving it. From the bits and pieces he's mentioned, I think I will too. I read The Positronic Man not too long ago and enjoyed it. So for science fiction, I'll probably start with the first of the Foundation Series (not from the main trilogy, but from the whole series). I think that would be Caves of Steel.

If any of you are stumped on fantasy or fiction, feel free to ask me! :) I know you'll have great suggestions too, Rae, you're just awesome that way! Just off the top of my head, here are some of the fantasy/sci-fi I've loved reading: Inkheart (Cornelia Funke), A Wrinkle in Time (Madeleine L'Engle), The Dark is Rising Series (Susan Cooper), Artemis Fowl Series (Eoin Colfer), Dragonsong (Anne MaCaffrey(sp?)), The Wheel of Time series (Robert Jordan), The Positronic Man (Isaac Asimov), Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams), The Host (Stephenie Meyer), The Sisters Grimm: Fairy Tale Detectives, Ella Enchanted (Gail Carson Levine), and Beauty (Gail Carson Levine). Of these, I think only The Positronic Man, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and The Host are true sci-fi although A Wrinkle in Time and Dragonsong have several sci-fi elements. Like Rae said, there's definitely some cross-over.

Oh, and speaking of science fiction - Lynness, I finally read The Host by Stephenie Meyer and loved it. Has anyone else in the family read it?

Rae, I'm intrigued by your list of Japanese culture reading. I think I'm going to go look up several of those! It'll be good to read some of that after the time I had there last summer.

August and September Read

You get two months for the price of one in this reading assignment! Should you choose to opt in...read FICTION in the SCIENCE FICTION and FANTASY genre...ONE OF EACH...which is why you get more time. I realize this may be difficult for those of us who don't naturally read these genres. But that's what this "club" is for...to stretch your minds and introduce you to new authors and genres.

Here are some basic guidelines to assist you in defining the genres. (Obviously, there is some overlap and no one will be policing you or reading over your shoulder. And feel free to include a young adult or childrens book as your choice...as long as the genre is the proper one.) Science fiction generally includes stories with themes related to science and technology. The books present a radically different but possible reality. They may deal with time travel, space colonies, robots, life on other planets, or invasions of Earth. The moral of the stories often revolve around the conflicts between science and superstition or progress. Some classic sci-fi authors are Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury (he writes fantasy too), Arthur C. Clarke, Philip K. Dick, Robert Heinlein, Frank Herbert and Frederick Pohl. There are many newer authors as well. Look on www.fantasticfiction.co.uk for ideas if you get stuck.

Fantasy almost always has elements of magic, often includes imagined, strange or fantastical creatures or dragons, and sometimes deals with mythology and legends. The moral almost always deal with the battle between good and evil (and usually good wins). Many fantasy books include elements of humor as well. The Narnia series, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter are definitely more fantasy than sci-fi (remember there's often some overlap). Artemis Fowl and the Dragonlance series are primarily fantasy. So is The Dark is Rising series. You get the idea, I assume.

Ask each other for help if you need it. You can also find information online and at most libraries. These two genres have many loyal readers and you shouldn't have a problem trying to find two titles to read. Let us know what you think about your books...especially if these are genres you don't normally read.

Happy reading!

My July Reading

In preparation for our trip to July, we read several books as a family. I read to the boys before we read our scriptures each night. Depending on what we are reading at the time, the scriptures come as a relief! We read Hiroshima by John Hersey, Japan Made Easy, and A Glorious Way to Die which was in preparation for a museum trip in Japan. My personal reading included Confucius Lives Next Door by T. R. Reid (I would recommend this to anyone...Gpa loved it!), Shutting Out the Sun by Michael Zielenziger, The Sushi Economy by Sasha Issenberg, Nine Who Survived Hiroshima and Nagasaki by Robert Trumbull, The Battle for Okinawa by Hiromichi Yahara, and Japanland by Karin Muller. Now that we are home, I am reading another book outloud to Ivan on the battle of Okinawa as well as continuing to read books about Japan. I'm hooked. What a wonderful culture, country and history. It's filling a hole in my education! And needless to say...none of my schoolwork for BYU got done in the month of June or July.

As far as my local history read goes...my book is on the way. It's the new one on the Mountain Meadows Massacre by Richard Turley, a church historian. I have been waiting six years for it to finally be published and it's supposed to be the end-all book on the subject. I have read everything I could find on the massacre and am really looking forward to this read. I will have to reward myself with personal reading time as I get my homework done each day!

The post separately I will assign in August for a read. I know that makes no sense...but Mim will understand it as that's how most signs in Japan are translated into English!

Happy reading!

Abby to Beccy :)

I have not read the My Father's Dragon series to the girls but I have wanted to for quite some time. It's been on several lists as a recommended read-aloud and Jim Trelease, of the well-known "Read Aloud Handbook", says wonderful things about it. BUT, I haven't been able to find it at any of our recent libraries (Provo, Orem, Tallahassee). One of these days I'll just have to go find it on Amazon and buy it. Especially knowing that you and your boys have enjoyed it! Right now I'm reading The Witches by Roald Dahl to the girls and they are loving it.

Beccy to Abby

Have you read the My Father's Dragon series? These were favorites with my boys. The illustrations on our copies are fun (I suppose it depends on which edition you find, because they are pretty old). It seems to me that these would be just the right speed for Heidi.

I love to read your posts even if I'm quiet and not posting often. I am reading The Friendly Persuasion, at Rae's and Dad's request--it's great fun. I'm actually reading about 8 different books. I just nibble. It's been a long time since I've had time to really sit down and indulge in a long novel. Maybe when school starts . . .

Lynness: June read

Well, I haven't decided what I'm reading this month (really I just
haven't had long enough at the library to find something- I need to go
without kids if I want to hit the non-children's section books for any
real length of time), but we enjoyed "Babe the Gallant Pig" and
"George's Marvelous Medicine" and now we're working on "James and the
Giant Peach."
These books seem about the right level for Isaiah (actually, he read
all of George's Marvelous Medicine to us) and not too long but
thoroughly engaging. The time we've read together (just the 2 of us,
although Nathan has listened in occasionally) has helped us get closer
and given him some of the 'only child' type attention he was so used to
for so long before Ruth. We're going to keep doing this morning reading
through the summer. We'll see how it works for the school year
schedule. We always tried evening before, but that usually didn't
work. We'd say "Hurry up and get ready for bed so we have time to read
before 7:30!!" But I believe firmly that anyone between the ages of 2
and about 7 (and probably older- like 17- I just haven't gotten there
yet) does not understand the concept of HURRY. We rarely got to read
with that method.
Hope y'all are enjoying summer!