Authors of my 50 greatst novels

So I've been thinking a lot about how most the authors on my list of 50 greatest authors are native English speakers and it really disturbs me. So I've set out to read a lot more African novels. I looked for Asian ones but it was kind of hard. You might say it bias just cause I speak English but I figure any work of literature that is really considered great would have been translated into English. Which, about 12 of the authors are from countries where the most spoken language is not English, so I'm guessing those books were translated. Anyway, to let you know what the list looks like . . .
There are 14 British authors with 18 books
12 American authors with 14 books, two of which are African American
1 Columbian (the only S. American) with 2 books
2 Irish
1 Spanish
4 Russians, unless you count Ukraine, then there is 5, with 7 books
1 German
3 French
1 Japanese
1 Austrian

So there you have it, the many countries of my list. The list I come up with should be a lot more diverse. Keep your fingers crossed that I can finish all my reading by age 35. Maybe I'll give myself 5 years of "other country reading" and wait to publish my list at 40.

Wrapping up the series

I finished my last Nikoline book today. I'm sad it is over. They were so fun to read. I liked this one a lot. As you can tell from the title it is about Lena's career as a teacher. But what I enjoyed must was the love story. Lena battles back and forth between two men, Dick and Ray. I liked Ray a little better even though she seemed more herself around Dick. In the end they both propose (Ray early on in the book before he leaves on a five year mission to Hawaii and Dick near the books end before he leaves for Chicago). Well, when Dick proposes he mentions getting married at city hall. To which Lena realizes he doesn't really have a testimony in the gospel. She tells him she doesn't know how their marriage will work if they can't even agree on their wedding. She then realizes she'd rather be with Ray. And a couple months later he mentions his earlier proposal is still a good one. It was such a cute love story, I shouted out loud when they finally ended up together.

It's funny how different Nikoline's and my teaching careers are. She was roughly 17 when she was given a "frontier" school in what I think must be Spanish Fork whereabouts. She lived with a family that sent two children to her school. Of course it was a one roomer with grades 1 through 8 and ages about six through sixteen. How would it be!?!? But it was fun to read about her journey as a school ma'm.

It was fun to read about her little brother Peter, who I'm pretty sure is my great grandpa. He was quite the teaser when they roomed together at BYU, or the Academy. Like I said, I'm sad the series is over. They were fun to read and learn about my heritage. It was also fun to watch how women's rights were unfolding and Utah gained statehood. A real treasure

A little more ancestory

I finished another book today. Two in one day feels great! Nikoline's Academy really connected with me. I doubt I'll read it as a bed time story to my kids (see Nikoline's Choice). But I'll encourage my daughters to read it when they are teenagers. This book was all about Nikoline's journey through college. Things sure were different back then. It only took her one year to earn her teaching degree. You could get baptized every eight years. And you could get married in the temple just weeks after your baptism. They didn't bathe, horse and buggy were source of travel, to name a more obvious few. Anyway, I loved how anxious she was to become a teacher. I reminded me of myself. I guess a love of teaching has been in the family longer than I knew. Hearing of her teacher training reminded me of my own days in Cache County Schools. Those were very different from my current teaching status.

There was a literary focus on "if." Which I found interesting cause my dad always challenged us not to ask those "what if" questions. Maybe that's always been in the family too.

But the best part of course was the love story. I can't wait to read Nikoline's Career and see if she marries Ray Shumway, which I don't think she will. Cause I think his real life character is President Hinckley's Uncle or Dad or something. I'll have to research it and ask my dad. Anyway, the love story made me shrill out loud at the end of the book. And until that point I hadn't thought it was that great of a book. But me making noises out loud while I read is the sign of a good book. Well, Ray rides on his horse day and night to help Nikoline get her first job as a teacher. And he did it all without her even knowing. It was so sweet. And then when she was finally able to thank him he kissed her on the lips, twice. Which was a real big deal back then.

I love reading this series. I can dream about Mount Timpanogos while she describes its beauty. I can picture her and Ray canoeing across Lake Utah. I know what it's like to finally come home after being away for such a long time. And so much more. I love my roots!

The Shepherd of the Hills

I read this one for book club. It's a good story, not great, but good. It had a little twist at the end that tied everyone together which I enjoyed. I guess you can never know what kind of impact you may have on people, for good or bad. There was a cute little love story as well. A couple of the main characters pass on, which I always like about books. Good books always seem to have some sort of sad truth, unlike the movies which are always happily ever after. I think the sad elements make books more real and personable. It was a quick read. Worth it if you just want a simple, old fashioned story about the Ozarks.