Lulu: June

Today I decided to get a jump on my June books and spent a blissful two hours in Barnes & Noble, absurdly indecisive. I was also looking for a new read for me and Reed. :)

Ultimately, I've chosen for myself Emma and Fahrenheit 451. I really haven't read either of them! Makes me blush to say it. The cashier had great things to say about Fahrenheit 451. He said one way that Ray Bradbury's science fiction is better than others is that it causes us to question the direction of mankind. Humanity's morals, that sort of thing. I was just excited to get it because the story line intrigues me, Abby loved it, and it's something I've always felt like I needed to read. I'm excited about Emma because I love Jane Austen.

I finished The Kite Runner. I didn't know very much about Afghanistan, almost nothing at all, and it was very much an eye-opening read. I blubbered my way through quite a bit of it, but couldn't let go of it until I was done. And actually, even then I couldn't let go of it. I had to talk about it. And I had to sort some things out in my mind, things that make me feel like ignorance is bliss. But I need to know these things, and overall I'm really happy to have read it. It was hard for Phill to hear me talk about it; I stopped reading it to him a few chapters in because I wanted to read faster than we had nights to sit down together. It's probably a good thing. His unit will probably head to Afghanistan in 2011, and he already knew tons more than me about the atrocities I had just learned about. I marvel that he can carry so much heaviness sometimes and not just....fall apart. I had a long, cathartic cry once I finished.

On to lighter things: The book I've chosen for Reed and I is The Wind in the Willows (Kenneth Graham). I've heard so many good things about it from Abby and my mom and Rae; I figure it's a good time. We did read a little excerpt of it from a Six-Year-Old Boys Treasury something-or-other that we have here at home, and Reed was really attentive and smiley. (I finally chose this book after picking up and putting down Peter Pan, Pinocchio, Farmer Boy, The Wizard of Oz, and Little Lord Fauntleroy. All of which are still viable for future options.)

Obviously I didn't choose a book for May. I didn't search very hard for a title, and didn't feel very motivated. I did choose a Mary Higgins Clark book that was totally unsatisfying and made me remember why I quit being interested in them a few years ago. I think I just wanted something really easy (translate: effortless) and suspenseful enough to keep me reading. But it was just empty, and so was I when I finished. Little ghost of a book.

Raehink: June Reading

Wow. I can hardly believe it's almost June already. May has flown by for me. I didn't get an entire religious book read but did manage to do some reading about women in the scriptures. I'm also continuing to read the New International Version of the New Testament each morning. I'm really enjoying that.

Thanks for all your recommendations for Bill. Using your suggestions, we were able to find some fun titles for him to read over the summer.

For the month of June, your assignment is to read a classic. We did this once before--about a year ago, I think. But there are still so many good books out there! Find one that you somehow (or perhaps intentionally) missed out on reading in your high school years. I will probably choose something by Mark Twain that I haven't read before. We are headed to Nauvoo in a few days and will be stopping in Hannibal for a visit. I'm as excited about that as I am about the church sites. Silly me.

Hope you're each looking forward to a summer of happy reading!

Bunch Of Religious

You are probably waiting for my review of ‘Mere Christianity’ by C.S. Lewis…. Well keep waiting! After all the library drama and the waiting I went out and bought my own copy, started reading and then found out that The Hinesville Ward Book Group changed their book! They chose ‘The Five People You Meet In Heaven’ by Mitch Albom. I LOVED THIS BOOK! I am not the best reader, by that I mean I’m kinda slow. Well, I’m not sure if I am slow or if its that I get distracted VERY easily! I have a short attention span UNLESS I’m really intrigued and as far as this book goes I WAS. I read it in one afternoon. I still think about parts of this book like sweet memories! A man dies and meets five people who he may have known, or who have crossed paths with in his life. They each have been waiting to tell him something very important about his life. I don’t want to say more because if you haven’t read it… Rae, then you should. It was easy and sweet. It really makes you think about how you live your life and how your actions affect others even though you might be completely unaware!
I still plan on reading ‘Mere Christianity’ and I also have more in the line up of religious. Grandpa sent me some books and I have started reading one, ‘More Purity Give Me’ by Vaughn J. Featherstone. If any of you have ever gotten a second hand book from Gpa then you will understand when I say EVERY SINGLE PAGE is marked! : D
The others he sent were ‘A Lion And A Lamb’ by Rand H. Packer, ‘The Peacegiver’ by James L. Ferrell, ‘An Eye Single To The Glory Of God; Reflections on the Cost of Discipleship’ by Robert L. Millet, ‘A Prophet’s Voice; Inspiring Quotes From Joseph Smith’ by Ed J. Pinegar.
P.S. Rae I never thought I would see the day to hear you say that you HAD NOT read something, CRAZY!!

Abby: Recommendations for Bill

Eric says Bill should read Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency which is also by Douglas Adams but not part of the HHGTTG series.

Has he read The Princess Bride?

Do you think he'd enjoy P.G. Wodehouse?

Or even The Eyre Affair series?

That's all I've got for a focus on the British humor side of books and none of them are really sci-fi like HHGTTG...

Lynness: recommendation

It took me a few minutes to figure out that William was Billy. My
sister Kate is an avid reader and checks our book blog occasionally- she
has a recommendation for him:

So, on the Hawkes book club Rae posted asking for scifi/fantasy
suggestions for William. Because I can't post on there I thought I'd
pass a suggestion along to you.

Anyway the post was about Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's series and wanting
similar titles. The Xanth chronicles are pretty good but if you want the
British humor a really good series is Terry Pratchett's Discworld.

Rae: Readers' Advisory needed

William just devoured most of the books in Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. He loved the science fiction and fantasy elements in them, but especially delighted in the sophisticated British humor. I'm wondering where to steer him next...I have ordered the first Xanth book (Piers Anthony) called A Spell for Chameleon. Other than that, I'm not sure what to get him. He will be working up at a Scout Camp for the summer and wants some funny books to read. I know some of you read sci-fi and fantasy quite regularly. If you have any suggestions, feel free to post some titles.

Happy reading!

Lynness- Religious Reading

I own and have enjoyed Mere Christianity, The Great Divorce, and The
Screwtape Letters: I love CS Lewis-I think he makes a lot of sense and
his writing resonates with me. I looked through the list Rae provided
from her shelves for suggestions and I think I will try reading the
Apocrypha. The only thing I've read about it is in the D&C and in the
Bible Dictionary. After having taught the Old and New Testaments in
seminary I will be interested to see how it fits in. Reading this
assumes that I get all my painting done- lately I've used just about
every free minute (and some that weren't free- my seminary prep has
again suffered) in painting my stairwall, hallways, living room, part of
the kitchen, and deck! Now I've just got the family room and a lot of
trim to touch up as well as finishing the kitchen. Then (hopefully)
we'll be moving to a house with a little more room to grow into.