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.

Nikoline's Choice . . . A bit of Ancestory

So this picture isn't actually the cover of the book, but it's about a pioneer girl and her family (one of which happens to be a little sister). So I thought the picture was appropriate. The best part about this book is . . . drum roll please . . . it's about my ancestors! That's right. It's written by my great-great Aunt Margaret Maw, who I played in the wonderful musical In Our Lovely Deseret. I never knew I had a writer in the family. But I was given these books (it's a three part series) as a graduation gift when I left USU. What a fabulous gift. Possibly the best ever. The books are fictional but it's pretty obvious the Ma and Pa of the book are my great-great grandparents who migrated from Denmark when they joined the Church. In fact there's an inscription on the title page that reads "To Beulah, a grand daughter of the Ma and Pa of this book. Margaret Maw 1947." Beulah is my dad's mother.

It was such a fun easy read. And I already am planning on reading these stories to my children when they are little. I had the blessing of growing up just farms away from the setting of this story, Deseret, Utah; but my children won't be so lucky. So in order to give them an idea of what their ancestors had to do I'll have to read them these books. Then when we visit Delta it will be like putting a place to the story.

It just amazes me how much my great-great-grandpa Nels gave up for the Church. I always knew he had so much Faith and it breaks my heart that so many of his descendants have wondered. I remember a distinct moment on my mission when I thought of this great man and was sure I made him proud. Which is funny because Lena (the main character, Margaret) is always saying her father warns her not to be proud. But my favorite of his quotes was the idea that a bathtub is "the ways of Babylon creeping in." Too funny. Another laugh out loud moment was when he swore to give up coffee after President Taylor came to town and talked about the Word of Wisdom. But a couple weeks later ol' Pa was drinking his coffee again. Guess it's always ran in the family to battle the Word of Wisdom. Just amazes me that he can give up his family, his home, and his money for the Church but not his coffee! What a Petersen.

The story has it sad moments. Pa losses his first claim (or farm) when he forgets to pay the fee on the land. The family lends out their horses for the winter and losses over half of them. Their good friend dies shortly after his family finally joins him from Denmark. And every member of the family sacrifices all their earnings to send Lena to the Academy in Provo. That scene nearly brought tears to my eyes.

Overall it was a great read, but I might be prejudice. I'll have to admit the writing is nothing great. A good kids story, easy for an independent reader. My favorite part about it is I googled some of the titles and found out copies are up on Amazon for $85 to $110. I've got a real treasure on my hands. And I wouldn't give it up for a million bucks.

Couldn't put this one down

I love contemporary fiction. And this one caught my eye almost a year ago. I finally broke down and bought it when I saw my sister-in-law reading it over the holiday. And I'm so glad I did. What a great read. I just wish I could come up with a story so fascinating. I can't even count how many times I yipped and hollered out loud. Ben was getting a kick out of me. I just couldn't stop reading it all day. Every third page made me yelp or laugh. I really wonder how people come up with such compelling stories. I know the author must have done a lot of research about circus life in the 1930's. That's what stops me from being a writer, I just couldn't do all that research, and I'm not that creative either. I'd have to stick to non-fiction writing. And even that requires some research. Someday . . .

Anyway, about the book. Well, I don't even know what to say because I don't want to spoil it for anyone who wants to read it. Not that anyone really reads this blog anyway. As for a literary critique. Great narrator. The voice and tone of the book really pull you in as you read. Good mix of humor and suspense. And I really love that it's an old man telling a story, as he says "I remember it like it was yesterday, hell I remember it better than yesterday." Not only does this story pull you into the circus life, but the chapters where you sit in the nursing home with old man Jacob, you just really feel for the elderly. You realize they're people with great stories and large emotions.

I will say it's a little racy at times. Never for more than a page. Not that that makes it okay. I just wanted to give a fair warning to anyone interested in reading it. Deep down though Jacob's a classy guy. With a real good heart. As for the antagonist. I hate that they give him a mental disorder, as if to say that's the reason for his poor temperament. I know plenty of people with red hot tempers who aren't in need of psychiatric help. And I know plenty of stand up people in need of psychiatric help who are just plain delightful. So I guess in the end it shouldn't bother me. But it did just a little bit. I have nothing else to say. Other than it's a must read, super entertaining, delightfully thrilling; it just doesn't stop surprising you until you turn the last page.

My Dear Friend Tess

I finally finished Tess of the D'Urbervilles. I was almost done when I left my book at my friend Marie's house. I had to wait a whole week to finish the final chapters. When I turned the last page I think I said to myself (out loud, cause I do talk to myself) "Good job Mr. Hardy!" It was such a great read. I was told the basic plot before I began reading it. I knew it was about a girl who was raped, then fell in love, and when she told her new love about her past he left her. But there were still plenty of surprises. Parts that actually made me gasp, grunt, and laugh out loud. I only had about 15 pages left to read today, but those last 15 pages just totally shocked and thrilled me. I really think the story line is fabulous. And I can't help but wonder if it wasn't a little before it's time. It just seems like most Romantic/Victorian novels I've read in the past are nothing like this one. Yet the writing really puts it in its time. Easy to read, beautiful prose.

My favorite such prose is found on page 100 of Volume II, just after Angel St Clare finds out about her past. The narrator says, "With all his attempted independence of judgment this advanced and well-meaning young man, a sample product of the last five-and-twenty years, was yet the slave to custom and conventionality when surprised back into his early teachings. . . In considering what Tess was not, he overlooked what she was, and forgot that the defective can be more than the entire." It also goes on to say that no prophet had told him (or anyone for that matter) that Tess's rape was not her sin. It just kills me that during that time period rape really was considered the sin of an innocent woman. Just blows my mind. Especially because Angel confesses to having spent a night himself with another woman, this confession relieves Tess and so she tells him about the situation with her monstrous cousin, Alec D'Urberville, and Clare packs up and leaves her! It just flabbergasts me.

But the ending even flabbergasts me more than that. I love it. This one will definitely be on my list of the top 50. It may rank in the 40's, but it will be there. I wonder if Hardy has another classic I can read. I also wonder what his religious affiliations were. I would assume he was raised Christian, but deep down was rather atheist. Much like Angel Clare. I think it's really ironic that Tess runs into Alec years after the rape and he has become a devout Christian. Much to the thanks of Angel's father. When she meets him again I couldn't decide if I liked him or not. Forgiveness is a hard thing. When finishing this book, I tried to think of all the religious symbolism of this novel, but it wasn't until I looked up themes on Sparknotes.com (my professors would be ashamed) that I realized Justice is a huge underlying theme. And to think I over looked it, Justice has always been one of my favorite themes. It seems to appear in a lot of classic novels, Shakespeare, Dickens, they all used it. So why wouldn't Mr. Hardy. But the role Justice plays in his novel is quite different from other novels I've read. He seems to think Justice is a cruel joke the pagan gods seem to play on those that suffer. Christianity teaches that those who suffer will receive happiness in the life after this one, but Tess's family seems to have no happiness in sight, and for her punishments are large (even in the after life she will face a "Just" punishment). But I will say Alec gets what he deserves. And I love it! The D'Urbervilles really seem to have a family curse that follows them around.

Brilliantly Confusing

So I've come to conclude Toni Morrison is a little over my head. I read one of her books in a class at USU and I loved it, but I felt like I only got through it because I was reading it with a brilliant professor and a small group of students. Reading Beloved I was all on my own. Well, me and sparknotes.com. I think she is a very talented author, with a glorious collection of novels, short stories, and poems. I feel I have to expose my students to this gifted, modern day miracle of a writer, so we read her short story Rectatif. And they love it. And with a little help from me they really understood it. But I really was a little lost on this one. Thankfully, one of my colleagues saw me reading it, she is a middle aged black woman, and she too said Morrison is over her head. So I guess I'm not alone on this one.

I will definitely put Morrison on my list of top 50 books (when I finish this list I've created I plan to make up my own). But I think I will have to go with Paradise even though Beloved is suppose to be her greatest work. I just believe Morrison is most well known for her controversial depictions of race and Beloved didn't have as much as that. There was definitely an identity struggle happening among the ex-slaves. Which I think was probably pretty accurate of the time. It would be hard to figure out who you were if you were raised as a piece of property.

The story isn't really about that though. It's just one of the motifs running through the novel. It's really about a woman who kills her daughter, Beloved, because she thinks she will be safer dead - away from the grasp of White men. Well, Beloved comes back to haunt her mother. Causing her older brothers and her mothers boyfriend all to run away. The character who stays is her little sister Denver. I love this character. I don't think Denver got the credit she deserves. She was a very intriguing character. Maybe when I read it a second time (if I ever do) I'll understand it a little better.

W-O-W

This book really has me thinking about all the promises America has made to other countries. Promises we haven't kept. How many times have we convinced an impoverished country to engage in a war with us, while promising them schools, clean water, and all the simple things they need; just to end the war and move on to the next country? i.e Afghanistan to Iraq.

What Greg Mortenson does is truly amazing. I've learned so many wonderful things from him. First, one person can make a huge difference in the lives of thousands. Second, the best way to fight terrorism is education. Third, you can help a culture different from your own without threatening to change that culture. And so much more. He must be the most selfless man in the world. I can't believe the things he has gone through to help other people. He laid in the back of a truck and covered himself with dead goats (which might not sound bad when your life is on the line). He spent months at a time away from his wife and kids. He was practically homeless when he first toyed with the idea to build a school for poor kids in Pakistan. He has done so much to help so many. I can't imagine anyone who has lived a more exciting and rewarding life. What a guy.

I share in his love of Muslim people. I think it is one of the most pure cultures on Earth. The real teachings of Mohammad are love, peace, and a personal relationship with God. I think Islam is a beautiful religion and it's followers are truly prepared to meet God. They have so much faith and devotion. We could all learn so much from them. And they truly are some of the poorest people on Earth. I believe that is why they are so misunderstood. Mortenson points out that one can be easily persuaded to follow jihad if they are offering you the only bread and water you can find. All the more reason for America to keep its promises and help our Muslim brothers and sisters. If they could see us as their Savior's instead of their bullies they wouldn't fall so easily into the traps of radical thinking. This book makes it so clear.

Anyone who has ever equated terrorism with Islam needs to read this book. They need to spend a couple weeks in an Islamic country. If you watch closely, the way a Muslim family lives is no different from the way any family wishes to be. Close and loving, non-worldly.

I give this book five stars. Two thumbs way up. If I were rich I would donate all my money to the CAI. Someday. Maybe I'll be able to help build a school in Afghanistan, or another country America has failed to keep their promises with.