My Father's Dragon: 3.5 Stars
I read this book with Eliza and Lydia. And although I have read it many times before (with each of my other kids) it is still the charming, fast-paced adventure as it always has been. My Father's Dragon is an oldie (written in the 1940's) but a goodie. If I learned anything from this book it's that tangerines make for an easy and smart packed lunch. Elmer takes 64 with him on his journey!
Sweet Love Remembered: 4 Stars
I poured over this book in May. It is the account of my great-great-great grandmother Laura Clark Phelps and her daughter, (my great-great grandmother) Mary Ann Phelps Rich. My goodness these two were incredible women! Laura and her four young children were driven from their home in Far West when her husband was taken prisoner. She moved her family to Commerce alone. Six months later she traveled hundreds of miles on horseback (including forging a raging river on her own when all the locals warned her it was too deep to cross) to be with her husband during the trial. After weeks of illegal rulings, Laura single-handedly broke her husband (Morris Phelps), King Follet and Parley P. Pratt out of prison. She died at a very young age in Nauvoo. Her daughter Mary Ann married the apostle, Charles C. Rich in the Nauvoo temple. When the saints left Nauvoo, she drove her own team across the plains - much to the surprise of all the men. The experiences she wrote about along the way were extraordinary. She became an accomplished teacher and was always a leader. I especially loved reading about her insights and experiences as a mother (ten children), particularly with "little Edward", my great great grandfather, who grew up to be a doctor, and whom my mother remembers as "Poppy Rich".
Lawrence in Arabia: 3 Stars
Scott Anderson does an extremely thorough job with this biography of T.E. Lawrence. And when I say extremely, I mean that we don't even get to Arabia for 400 pages. I have to admit, I got lost and bored with all the WWI military jockying and Brittish political bureaucracy. There was too much information to wrap my brain around. Reading this book did make me realize, though, what was at stake in the Middle East and how on the verge of change everything was during World War I. Those changes made the Middle East what it is today. Could history have been changed if things had gone differently there? Might the Holocaust been avoided had agreements with the Arabs and Zionists been honored? T.E. Lawrence - such an intriging character and a legend, even in his own time - played a crucial and significant role in all this. Things could have gone a lot worse had it not been for him. He understood the Arab culture - in all it's complexities. The last half of the book is more exciting. I especially enjoyed Lawrences own writing. Here's one of my favorite quotes from his 27 Articles written as advice to Brittish officers in 1917:
"Do not try to do too much with your own hands. It is better for the Arabs to do it tolerably then for you to do it perfectly. It is their war and you are to help them, not win it for them. Actually also, under the very odd conditions of Arabia, your practical work will not be as good as perhaps you think it is."
How to Train Your Dragon: 5 Stars
Have you met these books? You should. Do not be led away by the lame-lame-lame movie which is not even the same story. These books are hilarious, gripping, heart-warming, and chock-full of life lessons. We own the series and all 12 books (which get better as they go, by the way) have been read and read and reread and passed to friends and read again. My kids would rather read these books than eat candy. Not even kidding. We just listened to the audio version in our car and I laughed until I cried! We can't wait to listen to book 2.
Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: 4.5 Stars
Oh my. The photographs alone in this book are enough to make my heart skip a beat. And believe it or not, the real story of Downton Abby is even better than the made-up version. I am head over heals for anything of this glamorous era and over-the-top lifestyle, but I am also constantly impressed with the generosity of these people and the countless contributions they made in the world. I can't wait to read Lady Catherine!
The Year of Billy Miller: 2 Stars
Can someone please explain the point of this book? I know there doesn't always need to be a point. But this book could have gone somewhere at least! There was something sort of sweet about the whole thing - I loved Billy's little sister, for example, who was spot on as far as little sisters go. And I loved the scene with Billy's mother and the dead bird. But Billy acted much younger than a second grader and his endless worrying (seriously, every chapter was something new) was tedius and a bit grating. And then, I don't even remember the ending but I'm pretty sure nothing happened. It just ended. And that was that. boo.
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