tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67118139369171203692024-03-13T23:02:30.369-07:00The Giggling GullThe Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.comBlogger174125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-66455727174397177652015-12-06T20:00:00.000-08:002015-12-06T20:00:17.642-08:00Dorothea Kit-Kat <span style="color: #cc0000;">Dorothy is my second favorite cat in the world. Loki is my first of course. She is a grey tabby cat with gorgeous golden eyes. She loves to chew people's hair which I think is adorable. It feels nice. She is not the type who likes to lie down and purr all day the way Loki does. She likes to chase string or balls but I love her all the same.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">PS. I forgot to tell you that she has five claws on one foot and four on the other.</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;">PPS. This is NOT a deformity. It just shows her individuality. </span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;">PPPS. Her personality is bouncy like this color.</span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;">PPPPS. You might have noticed that I assigned each cat a color. :)</span>The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-68425535912334798082015-12-06T19:51:00.000-08:002015-12-06T19:51:11.649-08:00My Loki Boy <span style="color: #741b47;">Loki is, beyond competition, the cutest cat in the world. He has a black face mask, a pink spot on his chin and an overall greyish color. I forgot to mention the pure white stockings on his legs. I pity you folks because most of y'all have never seen him and most of y'all never will. Sadly I don't know how to post pictures on this blog because otherwise I would. Not only his looks but his personality recommend him. He is the sweetest, gentlest, snuggliest, most purrfect cat ever. I Love him so much.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #741b47;">PS. I got to name him and the name suits him even though he isn't in the least sneaky or malevolent.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47;">PPS. He is absolutely adorable.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47;">PPPS. His personality is warm like this color.</span>The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-67655936554612342942015-09-27T21:36:00.003-07:002015-09-27T21:36:56.731-07:00The Indian in the Cupboard<span style="color: #b45f06;">I recently finished a book called The Indian in the Cupboard. It is about a boy named Omri who gets a toy Indian for his birthday which he doesn't want. His brother, Gillon, gave him a cabinet he found in the alley and his mother had the key to fit the lock. During the night he wakes up to a sound coming from the Indian whom he had locked up before he went to sleep. But how could the Indian make any noise? Was it alive? Then, his friend, Patrick, makes a cowboy named Boone into a human. Trouble ensues because the Indian and the cowboy are constantly at odds.</span>The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-63532711369892139722015-09-27T21:32:00.002-07:002015-09-27T21:32:56.215-07:00Weekly Mad Libs: Alexander The GreatIn 336 B.C., Phillip of Macedonia, the ruler of a province in northern Greece, became the father of a bouncing university named Alexander. Alexander's teacher was Aristotle, the famous fence. When he was 20 years old, his father was murdered by Socrates, after which he became Notebook of all Macedonia. In 334 he invaded Persia and defeated Paul Revere at the battle of Pet Smart. Later, at Arbela, he won his most important victory over Darius, the third. This made him restaurant sunka-bunka over all Persians. Then he marched to India, and many of his mosquitoes died. After that Alexander began drinking too much apple juice and at the age of 33 he died of an infection in the nose. His last words were, "There are no more shoes to conquer."The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-18355262799871066422015-09-27T20:59:00.000-07:002015-09-27T20:59:08.192-07:00My Little Kit Kat My kitten Boadicea had a habit of climbing into the dryer. On the twenty fourth the dryer was started with her in it. We had gone to a bible study and when we got back we couldn't find her anywhere. When daddy opened the dryer to get some clothes he saw Boa mangled up in the laundry. She was dead. We buried her the day after that. We decorated her grave with flowers and leaves and slices of pears. It is quite beautiful there. She had been an indoor cat all of her short but happy life. Now she is always outside. I might as well tell you all about her as a memory. She was a beautiful dark tabby color with green eyes. She had such a knowing expression whenever she would look at you. She was very brave the first day we had her; always ready to hiss at the dog if she came to close. After a while she never hissed at any of us. She was very friendly and would come and sit in my lap with a beautiful purring sound which never stopped. She got over the mouthy stage very quickly and never nipped me at all. Maybe that is because I never played games with her if she was being particularly mouthy. We all loved her very much.The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-11967762686800444362015-09-14T23:10:00.000-07:002015-09-14T23:10:04.689-07:00Hi:-)<span style="color: #38761d;">Hi!</span><br />
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<span style="color: orange;">This is the Giggling Gull's daughter, Miki. My mother is allowing me to post on her blog since she is not using it anymore. I hope I will give a weekly Mad Libs post which, hopefully, will be funny. For example:</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"> <i>Fellow students of the Sky Valley Education Center! We members of the students for a mysterious society are meeting here to decide what action to take about the Dean of Dogs. He has just fired our friend, Professor Beatrix, because he wore his arm long, and because he dressed in shorts and wore old fireworks. Next week we are going to protest by taking over the horse building and kidnapping the assistant Water. We also will demand that all students have the right to wear hard hair and bouncy beards. Remember our slogan: "Down with subs." </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">I hope to post about many things such as: Books, dogs, Abigail's schoolwork, funny stories (I might make one up now and then.) And, obviously, Mad Libs. I also hope that you will give me some recommendations as to what I should write of. I forgot to mention the occasional pic.</span>The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-90225517977706723552014-01-27T16:23:00.002-08:002014-01-27T16:23:43.230-08:00The Body in the Library, by Agatha ChristieThe Body in the Library is the second Miss Marple mystery that Agatha Christie wrote. It was published in 1940, a full twelve years after the first Miss Marple mystery.<br />
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I read this book because, as a youth, I loved Hercule Poirot, but disdained Miss Marple. I don't know that I've ever read all of the Poirot mysteries, but I knew I had not read more than one Miss Marple mystery. I decided to rectify that, and this was the handiest title available at the library when I made that decision.<br />
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Close friends of Miss Marple's awake one morning to the discovery of the dead body of a young woman in their library. Police suspicions naturally fall on the man of the house to begin with, and the lady of the house calls on Miss Marple to help solve the crime and confirm her husband's innocence.<br />
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I enjoyed Miss Marple more than I would have expected when I was a young lady. Agatha Christie writes enjoyable mysteries. Presumably you are already familiar with her work, so, if you like Christie's books, you'll probably like The Body in the Library. If you don't like her books, you won't like this one either.The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-91517471174979429872014-01-21T16:31:00.001-08:002014-01-21T16:31:41.882-08:00Welcome to Fred by Brad WhittingtonWelcome to Fred is a short, comic, crisis-of-faith, coming-of-age Christian novel.<br />
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When the book opens, Mark Cloud, the first-person narrator, is settling his father's estate, putting him in a nostalgic frame of mind. He finds a hand-written definition of "<i>Adolescence</i>: Insanity; a (hopefully) temporary period of emotional and mental imbalance. <i>Symptoms</i>: mood swings, melancholia, rampant idealism, insolvency. Subject takes everything too seriously, especially himself. <i>Causes</i>: parents, raging hormones. <i>Known Cures</i>: longevity, homicide. <i>Antidotes</i>: levity, Valium." This launches him into narrating his own adolescence in Fred, Texas to us.<br />
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I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to those who enjoy reading comic Christian novels. The narrator uses big words throughout, which I appreciated most of the time, but which sometimes seemed a little too big.The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-58701341720628356762014-01-19T15:30:00.000-08:002014-01-19T15:30:19.394-08:00Sunday SamplerPsalm 111: "Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever. He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and merciful. He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever. He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the inheritance of the nations. The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy; they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. He sent redemption to his people;he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name! The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!"<br />
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Selections from All Things for Good, by Thomas Watson:<br />
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"What a blessed condition is a true believer in! When he dies, he goes to God: and while he lives, everything shall do him good. Affliction is for his good. What hurt does the fire to the gold? It only purifies it. What hurt does the fan to the corn? It only separates the chaff from it."<br />
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"God never uses His staff, but to beat out the dust."<br />
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"Poverty shall starve our sins; sickness shall make grace more helpful. Reproach shall cause 'the Spirit of God and of glory to rest upon us.' Death shall stop the bottle of tears, and open the gate of Paradise. A believer's dying day is his ascension day to glory. Hence it is, the saints have put their afflictions in the inventory of their riches."<br />
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"God sweetens suffering with joy…"<br />
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"To them that are godly, evil things work for good; to them that are evil, good things work for hurt."<br />
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"The common mercies wicked men have, are not loadstones to draw them nearer to God, but millstones to sink them deeper to hell."<br />
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"God enriches by impoverishing; He causes the augmentation of grace by the diminution of an estate."<br />
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"Through indiscreet passion, we are apt to find fault with things that happen: which is as if an illiterate man should censure philosophy, or a blind man find fault with the work in a landscape."<br />
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"Discontent is an ungrateful sin, because we have more mercies than afflictions; and it is an irrational sin, because afflictions work for good."The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-9391049491412890562014-01-12T19:19:00.002-08:002014-01-12T19:19:29.711-08:00Sunday Sampler"God is our Fortress To the Choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song. Psalm 46. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah. Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah."<br />
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I am now reading All Things for Good by Thomas Watson, an exposition of Romans 8:28: "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Here are some quotes from his book:<br />
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"If it is good for us, we shall have it; if it is not good for us, then the withholding of it is good."<br />
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"The mercies of God make a sinner proud, but a saint humble. The mercies of God have a melting influence upon the soul; they dissolve it in love to God. God's judgments make us fear Him, His mercies make us love Him."<br />
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"Why should a Christian destroy himself? Why should he kill himself with care, when all things shall sweetly concur, yea, conspire for his good?"<br />
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"…and here we shall show that both the best things and the worst things work for their good."<br />
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"How is a weak Christian able, not only to endure affliction, but to rejoice in it? He is upheld by the arms of the Almighty."<br />
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"The power of God subdues our corruptions. 'He will subdue our iniquities' Micah 7:19."<br />
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"He shows mercy, not because we deserve mercy, but because He delights in mercy."<br />
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"(The Lord's Supper) is an emblem of the marriage-supper of the Lamb."<br />
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"When a Christian is weak, and can hardly pray for himself, Jesus Christ is praying for him; and He prays for three things. First, that the saints may be kept from sin…Second, for His people's progress in holiness…Third, for their glorification."<br />
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"Christ comes, and picks away the weeds, the sin of our prayer, and presents nothing but flowers to His Father, which are a sweet smelling savor."<br />
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"Or as in a watch, the wheels seem to move contrary one to another, but all carry on the motions of the watch: so things that seem to move cross to the godly, yet by the wonderful providence of God work for their good."<br />
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"No vessel can be made of gold without fire; so it is impossible that we should be made vessels of honor, unless we are melted and refined in the furnace of affliction."The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-65960005656150966912014-01-10T16:35:00.000-08:002014-01-10T16:35:37.246-08:00Listen by Rene GutteridgeWhat happens when gossip goes too far? Rene Gutteridge explores an answer to that question in this book. A website pops up on which private conversations have been typed up and can be viewed by anybody. Anger erupts, and a small town with a spotless record (it's been a good 20 years since a serious crime has been committed in it) exposes its violent side.<br />
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I appreciated that the characters seemed believable, and there were tiny details of daily life included that set the scene, and could sometimes bring a chuckle. I appreciated that the problems were not too tidily solved and wrapped up. But, this book was not as suspenseful and thrilling as the other book by Rene Gutteridge which I've read, Misery Loves Company, and it was a bit more preachy (a novelized sermon against gossip).<br />
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I did not enjoy it as much as Misery Loves Company. I would neither recommend it, nor against it. I do not regret reading it. I am willing to read other books by Rene Gutteridge.The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-54815247905507551712014-01-10T16:26:00.000-08:002014-01-10T16:26:02.457-08:00Lie Down in Green Pastures, The Psalm 23 Mysteries by Debbie ViguieI didn't expect much of this book because I thought the title was a bit hokey, and because I was recently disappointed in a different Christian mystery I read. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. This is the third Psalm 23 Mystery, and I will be searching out the other two.<br />
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The writing was good, the plot engaging but not too quickly moving (I still very much have Relentless in mind when I write that). The characters were interesting and quirky. The two main sleuths are a Rabbi, and a church secretary from a church that sits next door to the Rabbi's synagogue. The whole situation was a bit far-fetched, but the way the characters behaved in the situation seemed believable, and the author refrained from making things too tidy. In other words, her characters had flaws, which is good.<br />
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The Rabbi, Jeremiah, is on his way to work one morning when he is rear-ended. He glances in the rearview mirror at the driver of the other car as the accident is about to happen, and thinks "He's already dead!" The church secretary, Cindy, is the first person on the scene to lend aid. Cindy proves to be very tenacious at tracking down the truth.<br />
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My only disappointment with the book was the rapidity with which the bad guy confessed to the crimes. Aside from that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I was pleased that there was more of a mystery and more solving of that mystery than in Good, Clean Murder (the mystery that disappointed me recently). There was more depth. The only hokey-ness was the rapidity of the confession. There was no smut.<br />
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I would recommend it to readers of mysteries.The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-30237077617596267322014-01-10T16:03:00.001-08:002014-01-10T16:03:18.775-08:00Relentless by Robin ParrishI was excited to read Relentless because I really enjoyed reading Offworld by Robin Parrish. Relentless disappointed me though.<br />
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A man steps off the bus one morning on his way to work, only to see himself across the block. How can this be? He starts to follow himself, only to catch sight of his own reflection. He is not the man he was when he woke up! How can that be? Through a series of events, he comes to understand that he has undergone The Shift. But why? Why him? Who did this to him? Are there are other shifted people out there?<br />
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This book moved rapidly, from one significant change to another significant change. I would have preferred to have a few more pages with each change to digest and absorb and ponder what the newest revelations meant. But my biggest problem with the frequent changes was that I did not know whom I could trust. With every new revelation, my opinions of all the characters shifted, and that made me uncomfortable. I couldn't root for anyone, not longer than for a couple pages, at any rate.<br />
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I made it to the end of the book, but I will not follow up by reading the other books in this trilogy. I won't even recommend it, though I suppose there is a certain type of reader who would like it. I am willing to try some other title by Robin Parrish.<br />
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<br />The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-12623674013255362042014-01-05T22:45:00.000-08:002014-01-05T22:45:21.309-08:00Sunday SamplerToday I finished reading Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen. Here are some selections from that book which I thought were important:<br />
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"According to the Christian conception, a creed is not a mere expression of Christian experience, but on the contrary it is a setting forth of those facts upon which experience is based."<br />
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"If Christ provides only a part of our salvation, leaving us to provide the rest, then we are still hopeless under the load of sin."<br />
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"'Christ died' - that is history; 'Christ died for our sins' - that is doctrine. Without these two elements, joined in an absolutely indissoluble union, there is no Christianity."<br />
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"The narration of the facts is history; the narration of the facts with the meaning of the facts is doctrine."<br />
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"Here is found the most fundamental difference between liberalism and Christianity - liberalism is altogether in the imperative mood, while Christianity begins with a triumphant indicative; liberalism appeals to man's will, while Christianity announces, first, a gracious act of God."<br />
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I am in Job in my Bible reading right now. Which Christian could fail to love this passage?<br />
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"For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another." Job 19:25-27<br />
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This time around I was struck by the context of these verses. Job is proclaiming his innocence against the false accusations of his 'comforters.' He here claims a Redeemer, implying that his innocence is not his originally but has been given to him, and he here maintains his complete confidence in his Redeemer. May God give to us a faith like Job's, a faith in the goodness of God.The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-29381621684970576902014-01-02T17:18:00.000-08:002014-01-02T17:18:04.130-08:00CREATE: Stop Making Excuses and Start Making Stuff, by Stephen AltroggeCREATE is a short, swift kick in the pants to stop offering excuses and to get started creating. Stephen Altrogge is a pastor and firmly roots his advice in the Scriptures, pointing out that Christians have their identity in Christ and therefore do not need to fret about their identity as creative artists, and that Christians are accepted by God the Father because they are in union with God the Son and therefore do not need to fret about popularity with a human audience.<br />
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Pastor Altrogge offers such sage advice as get started, plod along, short but consistent periods of creativity trump infrequent outbursts of creativity, be okay with being okay, and serve others with your creative gifts (in this his book reminded me of Edith Schaeffer's Hidden Art of Homemaking). He quotes from Douglas Wilson, Anne Lamott, and Stephen King, among others.<br />
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I would recommend this book to people who wannabe creative, no matter their area of creativity, but who haven't quite launched yet, who are still dithering about whether, and when, and how.The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-88710285613872935232014-01-01T22:45:00.000-08:002014-01-01T22:45:09.335-08:00A Few More Books I Read in 2013, But Forgot When I Blogged YesterdayOver the course of this last year I lost the habit of immediately recording the titles and authors of books I finish. I am sad at this. It had been my habit for 12 years before I lost it. One result is that I didn't actually blog about all the books I read in 2013 when I wrote up yesterday's list. I also read:<br />
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The last three volumes in Susan Wise Bauer's The Story of the World. I read the first one in 2012. I read these out loud to my children for their history curriculum last school year. I do like them. I like narrative history. However, in my opinion, they do not rise to the same level as Olive Beaupre Miller's A Picturesque Tale of Progress. I think the best possible course is to read both of these narrative history series, but if you can only choose one, go with A Picturesque Tale of Progress.<br />
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I read The Wonder Clock by Howard Pyle. I can't say enough in praise of Howard Pyle's beautiful use of the English language. It is almost as lyrical as Shakespeare. Almost. I love reading his writings out loud to my little children. It often takes me a little while to adjust to his different rhythms.<br />
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I read A Cast of Stones by Patrick W. Carr, the first in a series called The Staff and the Sword. I received this as a review copy, but never offered my review, as a result of which I stopped accepting review copies. This was a very exciting fantasy novel. I would highly recommend it to readers of fantasy.<br />
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I read The Trouble with Islam Today: A Muslim's Call for Reform in Her Faith by Irshad Manji. Ms. Manji is a Muslim lesbian, a combination I did not expect to encounter. In this book, she details problems she sees with Islam. At the end she decides to remain Muslim, but with the hope that Islam will work out these problems she has identified. I found it an eye-opening book and recommend it to people who like to read about Islam.<br />
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I read all three books in the Call the Midwife series by Jennifer Worth. I liked them, but found the description of prostitution hard to read. With that one caveat, I would recommend these books to people interested in birth stories and mid-century Britain.<br />
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I read The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. This was a sad and hard read, but in the end a hopeful book. It was an impressive debut novel.<br />
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I read The Self-Propelled Advantage by Joanne Calderwood. This was a good read. I would recommend it to home schooling mothers who feel pressured to provide every atom of their children's education.<br />
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These are all the books I've recalled reading last year since I wrote yesterday. They bring my total up to 75 books for 2013. I would like to reach 100 in 2014. I've never done that many in a year, since I started keeping track.The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-1935877499936065032014-01-01T22:23:00.002-08:002014-01-01T22:23:51.572-08:00Books Begun But Not Completed in 2013This is an odd list, perhaps, but one I thought I might enjoy writing. Even just a few years ago I could not set aside a book. I could not. It was almost a physical impossibility. I had older reading friends who would set aside books with abandon (maybe not with abandon, but to my OCD must-read-every-word-printed-in-every-book-I-pick-up eyes, it seemed like it). I was aghast at those older friends. Now that I am growing older, I find it not only possible but sometimes even advisable to set aside books I've started. I also merely skim some books, rather than reading them deeply. I can hardly believe how much I've changed. I hope for the better.<br />
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I started Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. I never thought I would start this book, and I probably wouldn't have, if it hadn't been for the gentle but continued urging of a reading friend over the course of a couple years. Even after I borrowed it from her it took me a couple months before I opened the book. Then my husband saw me reading it and asked me not to. I stopped reading to honor him. Sadly, I was far enough in to the book to have begun to care about the characters.<br />
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I started reading Little Britches by Ralph Moody out loud to my children. I started it twice. I haven't finished it once. This is a book that receives high reviews from other home schooling families. My own children really enjoyed the limited part they got to hear. I, however, simply could not get enough into it to continue reading it. If I don't enjoy a book enough, I won't keep reading it out loud. Sadly, I have not started reading another book out loud to them since setting aside Little Britches the second time. Poor children. Next week, next week.<br />
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I started reading Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor by Richard Doddridge Blackmore. A reading friend encouraged me to try this book, and I was about halfway through it, enjoying it. Everything was going swimmingly. Until my Kindle acted up and wouldn't let me access it for a long time, long enough that when I did get to return to Exmoor I couldn't decide whether to pick up where I left off, or begin again at the beginning. Now it has been long enough that I intend to try again, from the beginning, this time with a hard copy that the reading friend generously loaned to me.<br />
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I started into two separate Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell mysteries by Laurie R. King. I just did not cotton to them. I was sad about this, because I thoroughly enjoyed the first such mystery about Sherlock Holmes and his wife Mary Russell that I read, which involved a movie set for the Pirates of Penzance.<br />
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I started reading The Awakened City by Arturo Miriello, Volume One of Swords of Men and Angels. I wanted to like this one, but the first several pages were rife with grammatical and syntactical errors. I could not go on.<br />
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I started reading Saving Leonardo by Nancy Pearcy. I think I need to give this one another try. I think I wasn't thinking deeply enough about what I was reading in the book when I started it, giving it cursory but not deliberate and intense attention.<br />
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I started "Don't Make Me Count to Three!" by Ginger Plowman. I had long wanted to read this book, but when I actually began it I decided the advice it contains is not advice I need. Doesn't that sound horribly arrogant of me?<br />
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I started Dark in the City of Light by Paul Robertson. I wanted to like this one, too. I suppose, in a sense, I want to like all the books I start. If I didn't want to like them, I wouldn't be likely to start them, would I? I had a very difficult time following the action in the first few pages. I was lost.<br />
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There might have been others, too. These are the ones I can recall starting but not finishing. What about you? When do you not complete a book you start, and why?The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-27881031953596243002014-01-01T17:03:00.000-08:002014-01-01T17:03:03.030-08:00The Midwife's Here! The Enchanting True Story of One of Britain's Longest Serving Midwives, by Linda FairleyLinda Fairley began her training to become a nurse right out of high school. She nearly decided to give up on her dream of becoming a nurse about halfway through her training, when her Matron at the hospital steered her in the direction of becoming a midwife. Linda finished her training as a nurse as a prerequisite for training as a midwife. She went on to become one of Britain's longest serving midwives, spending more than 40 years as a midwife at the same hospital, Ashton General, later renamed Tameside.<br />
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This book details her three years training as a nurse, and a year training as a midwife. She has a gift for describing characters. Her mentor midwife is a hoot. Mrs. Fairley does not include salacious details, making her book an easier and more comfortable book to read than the Call the Midwife series of books (at least the section describing prostitution in detail). I would be comfortable allowing my children to read The Midwife's Here!, but not comfortable allowing them to read Call the Midwife.<br />
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I really enjoyed this book, and the glimpse of life in mid-century Britain it offers. I like reading birth stories, and it is interesting to reflect on how many practices have changed since the period the book talks about (such as the rate of breastfeeding). Mrs. Fairley has a sequel to this book, and I look forward to reading it.The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-59167423554963894102013-12-31T16:59:00.000-08:002013-12-31T16:59:10.613-08:002014 PlansFor most of 2013 I seriously considered giving up my blog. I simply did not seem to have the time to blog, and did not see how I was to carve out that time. A couple weeks ago I had a lengthy conversation with my husband. During the conversation I realized when I could blog. Now I have high hopes of returning to a 'normal' blogging schedule in 2014.<br />
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A couple years ago I finally decided to read both The Encyclopedia Britannica Great Books series, and The Harvard Classics. For a long time I had been torn between those two series, until I realized I didn't have to choose, I could read both. I began that journey around the time I began blogging. But, what with having a baby, moving, and moving, and moving again, I somehow set aside that personal challenge. Now I am ready to resume reading both series. If I were more blog-savvy, I would make a button and invite readers and other bloggers to join me in reading these series. As it is, I ask you to consider this your invitation to join me.<br />
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I don't really have other plans for 2014 that pertain to my blog. I will continue my normal life, raising and educating my children, growing the baby in my womb, and reading as my whimsey takes me.The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-4037322909231318692013-12-31T16:42:00.002-08:002013-12-31T16:42:19.172-08:00A Brief, Joyous AnnouncementWe are expecting our next child in early September!The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-21690153939906735992013-12-31T16:38:00.002-08:002013-12-31T16:38:25.770-08:002013This is a list of all (or most) of the books I read in 2013, in no particular order.<br />
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1. Tell Your Time, by Amy Lynn Andrews. This is an excellent, short, philosophical, and practical book on time management.<br />
2. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, by Amy Chua. I read this book because of the controversy surrounding it. I came away from it thinking there is some value to the greater discipline displayed in Chinese parenting, but also value to the greater grace displayed in Western parenting.<br />
3. Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card. I read this so I could watch the movie. I liked the book and thought it was well-written, but I'm not sure I could enjoy watching the cruelty of children to children in a movie.<br />
4. The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. This was disappointing and I will neither be watching the movies nor reading the other books in the series.<br />
5. Cruel and Usual Punishment: The Terrifying Global Implications of Islamic Law, by Nonie Darwish. Terrifying indeed! This is an eye-opening book and I highly recommend it.<br />
6. City of Ember, by Jeanne DuPrau.<br />
7. People of Sparks, by Jeanne DuPrau.<br />
8. Prophet of Yonwood, by Jeanne DuPrau.<br />
9. Diamond of Darkhold, by Jeanne DuPrau. Numbers 6-10 are a series. The first was the best, the second okay, the third disappointing, and the fourth okay. A movie was made based on the first, but it was not worth watching.<br />
10. Car Trouble, by Jeanne DuPrau. This was not nearly as good as City of Ember.<br />
11. Crazy Busy, by Kevin DeYoung. I found this book disappointing as well. I would take Tell Your Time and Death by Living (by N.D. Wilson, mentioned below) over Crazy Busy.<br />
12. Give Them Grace, by Jessica Thompson and Elyse M. Fitzpatrick. This is one of the two best parenting books I have ever read, the other being Shepherding a Child's Heart, by Tedd Tripp. I can't recommend it highly enough.<br />
13. The Last Dragonslayer, by Jasper Fforde. This book was a disappointment. I'm not sure if that's because it was written for young adults and as a result steered clear of the sort of writing I find so enchanting in the Thursday Next series, or if Fforde simply did not write it as well as he's written his other books.<br />
14. Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, by Malcolm Gladwell. So far the only book by Gladwell that I have been glad I read was Outliers.<br />
15. The Light of Eidon, by Karen Hancock.<br />
16. The Shadow Within, by Karen Hancock.<br />
17. Shadow over Kiriath, by Karen Hancock.<br />
18. Return of the Guardian-King, by Karen Hancock. Numbers 15-18 are a series called Legends of the Guardian-King. I thoroughly enjoyed all four books and highly recommend them to readers of fantasy.<br />
19. The Little Red Guard, by Wenguang Huang. This is a first-person, true account of growing up in Communist China. It is not as harrowing to read as Escape from Camp 14 (mentioned below), but it is a powerful indictment of tyrannical government.<br />
20. Seekers of the Lost Boy, by Taryn Hayes. Pretty well-written, but with a more explicitly evangelistic message than I tend to like in fiction.<br />
21. The Last Thing I Remember, by Andrew Klavan.<br />
22. The Long Way Home, by Andrew Klavan.<br />
23. The Truth of the Matter, by Andrew Klavan.<br />
24. The Final Hour, by Andrew Klavan. Numbers 21-24 are a series called The Homelanders. The books were very well-written, exciting, thrilling, a bit like a Young Adult literary version of the t.v. show 24. These books would make especially good reading for young adults who like excitement but want to steer clear of sexuality, foul language, and purposeless violence.<br />
25. In the Company of Others, by Jan Karon. I am not a big fan of Karon. I did enjoy this book more than the only other book I read by her, Home to Holly Springs (I think). Some of the situations seemed to be a little too neatly resolved, but the characters and their stories were interesting, and the writing was good.<br />
26. What to Expect When No One's Expecting, by Jonathan V. Last. This is a must read book about demographic changes occurring all around us.<br />
27. Have a New Husband by Friday, by Dr. Kevin Leman. Despite the title, the book is really more about how to be a better wife. Not the best book I've read on the subject, nor the worst.<br />
28. Beauty, by Robin McKinley. This is a reimagining of the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast. It was well-written, but a bit too much like a romance for my comfort. I liked reading it, but know I myself well enough to know I'm not safe reading lots of romance.<br />
29. The Road, by Cormac McCarthy. This was a bit too unrelentingly grey and apocalyptic for my tastes, but really skillfully-written. My husband thinks highly of this book, which is why I read it, but it is not my cup of tea. If my reading is going to make me scared and sad, I'd rather it be nonfiction. For my fictional choices, I prefer to be made happy.<br />
30. Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me, by Karen Swallow Prior. I love reading about reading, but this is not my favorite book for that. I do like the idea of 'reading promiscuously' which she adopts from John Milton and promotes early in Booked, but this is not the book about reading which I would recommend.<br />
31. Dreamers of the Day, by Mary Doria Russell. This novel shed some light for me on a little known period of history (little known to me), but definitely had some oddities.<br />
32. Murder Being Once Done, by Ruth Rendell. Definitely not at the top of my favorite murder mystery authors, but I'm quite willing to try another by Rendell.<br />
33. The Duck Commander Family, by Willie and Korie Robertson. This was a quick read with fun insights in to the Robertson family.<br />
34. Happy, Happy, Happy, by Phil Robertson. I preferred this to number 33. I was pleased that this book unabashedly presents the claims of the gospel: repent and believe. It certainly increased my respect for Phil Robertson.<br />
35. Jane Austen: A Life Revealed, by Catherine Reef. This book is a biography meant for a young adult audience. I learned some things about Jane Austen, but was not pleased with the book overall. I would not recommend it, but would prefer to find a superior book about the same subject.<br />
36. e.e. cummings: A Poet's Life, by Catherine Reef. This book was on a par with Reef's book about Jane Austen, that is, interesting but not excellent, but the subject of the book does not interest me enough to warrant searching out a superior biography of him.<br />
37. Lit! by Tony Reinke. I do highly recommend this book, to all readers! It is just about the best book about reading I have ever read.<br />
38. Only Milo, by Barry Smith. Horrible book! Avoid like the plague! I only finished it because I kept expecting that something would be revealed toward the end which would put all the immoral capers earlier in the book in a brand new light. No such a thing was revealed. Disgusting.<br />
39. The Good Husband of Zebra Drive, by Alexander McCall Smith. What can I say? I really enjoy reading the books in the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.<br />
40. The Kalahari Typing School for Men, by Alexander McCall Smith. Ditto number 39. This book is an early book in the series and the writing does not seem as polished as the later books, but the characters, story, and wisdom are every bit as easy, comfortable, and enjoyable.<br />
41. Merlin's Blade, by Robert Treskillard. This was a fun and exciting read. Not one of my favorite books, but well-done. My 13yodd really liked it.<br />
42. One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp. She uses language creatively, which sometimes results in startling and revealing juxtapositions, and sometimes results in making me think I need to be wary of her theology.<br />
43. Who Gets the Drumstick?, by Helen Beardsley. This book provided the basis for the two movies called Yours, Mine, and Ours. I've only seen the first movie, which had Lucille Ball portraying Helen Beardsley, and it was enjoyable. It is a true story of a widow with eight children and a widower with ten children who marry each other (the widow and the widower, that is). They go on to have two more children together. The book clearly has the edge over the movies in that the book shows a deep love of family, children, and God.<br />
44. Code Name Verity, by Elizabeth Wein. This was excellently well-written, historical fiction set in WWII, involving female pilots in the RAF. I would recommend it, with the caution that it might deal in inappropriate ways with mature themes (this caution on account of the fact that it's a YA novel).<br />
45. Maman's Homesick Pie, by Donia Bijan. This book tells the true story of a Persian family who comes to America during the revolution in the late 1970s. It was sweet and included many exotic recipes.<br />
46. Mrs. Jeffries and the Feast of St. Stephen, by Emily Brightwell. So-so. I would neither search out another mystery by Emily Brightwell, not turn up my nose at it if I happened upon one.<br />
47. Twenty-Five Books that Shaped America, by Thomas C. Foster. I had a hard time trusting this book about books I haven't read, because early in the book I had a sharp disagreement with the author about a book I had read. I best like Foster's How to Read Literature Like a Professor.<br />
48. Marriage and Caste in America, by Kay S. Hymowitz. Hymowitz's other book, Manning Up, is a more enlightening and important book to read, but this book was also enlightening and important. Many of the statistics for single-parent families are heart-breaking to read. What I found most fascinating was the similarity in the description in this book of communities in America with lots of sexual promiscuity, and the description of Islamic marriages involving polygamy which I read about the same time in Nonie Darwish's book.<br />
49. The Blood of Lambs, by Kamal Saleem. This was a gruesome and horrifying and thrilling read, purporting to be a true story, but great controversy surrounds the author.<br />
50. Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, by Gary D. Schmidt. A literary tour-de-force, but one which sits uncomfortably with my Christian convictions. The Christians in the book are the bad people, and the good people in the book are the ones who throw off their Christian faith in favor of Darwinian evolution.<br />
51. Back on Murder, by J. Mark Bertrand. This is a fabulous crime noir detective novel. If you like gritty crime novels, this is the book for you. I am looking forward to reading more books by Bertrand.<br />
52. Emma, Mr. Knightley, and Chili Slaw Dogs, by Mary Jane Hathaway. This was fun and quick, and one of those romances which I ought not to read too many of. Mostly I was impressed to learn that the author home schools her six young children. Maybe, inspired by her example, I can at least return to blogging while I home school my six young children.<br />
53. Jesus on Every Page, by David Murray. This ranks as one of the most important books I read in 2013. I cannot recommend it highly enough.<br />
54. Love Your Husband, Love Yourself, by Jennifer Flanders. This is one of the best books about marriage I have ever read. The author is firm but gentle. I would not be as dogmatic about certain decisions as the author is (e.g., regarding birth control), but overall I would recommend it. While Jennifer Flanders spends a lot of time (the first eleven chapters) discussing the importance of married sex, she is never salacious or prurient. I would like my own daughters to read this book, and would allow them to do so even while they are still young.<br />
55. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I enjoyed this book more than I expected to. I took a lesson away from the book which I'm sure Fitzgerald didn't intend: this world is vain and fleeting (he probably did mean that), and the next world is where we must center our hopes (the lesson he probably didn't intend).<br />
56. Death by Living, by N.D. Wilson. This is just about the best book on time management I have ever read. One of the better books I read in 2013. It was a bit surreal to read such a book written by a man I knew in college. And I must say, it is odd to have reached a stage in my life when I am reading nonfiction books by people who are younger than I (this goes for Crazy Busy by Kevin DeYoung, too).<br />
57. Gaudy Night, by Dorothy Sayers. I love Sayers's mysteries!<br />
58. Misery Loves Company, by Rene Gutteridge. This was a page-turning, suspenseful thriller. I enjoyed it overall, but found a couple parts implausible *SPOILER ALERT* (would a cop really allow his girlfriend to maintain something of a sympathetic relationship with her abductor? would he really not have investigated the suspicious death of his partner a bit more at the time?). I would read other books by Rene Gutteridge, and recommend this one to readers of thrillers.<br />
59. Offworld, by Robin Parrish. This was a page-turning, suspenseful sci-fi book. I enjoyed it, but found a couple parts implausible (the abandoned cars on the roadway only seemed to impede the heroes of the book at certain times). I would recommend it to readers of sci-fi, and myself read other books by Parrish.<br />
60. Good, Clean Murder, by Traci Tyne Hilton. Blah. I shan't read another by her. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good.<br />
61. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Won't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain. This was one of the best books of 2013. I never felt so understood in my life as I felt when reading that book! I highly recommend it to anyone who is an introvert or who loves an introvert.<br />
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There you go. I thought I had read more, but those are the titles I have a record of reading.The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-2601952458377818162013-12-02T17:37:00.001-08:002013-12-02T17:37:36.745-08:00Merlin's Blade, by Robert TreskillardMy apologies for falling out of the blogosphere for more than three months.<br />
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Merlin's Blade is a pretty-well-written Arthurian romance, the first book in a planned series. It was published as Teen Fiction by Zondervan. There is a mixing of true Christianity and elements that cannot, in real life, coexist with true Christianity. I know that bothers some readers, and, if you are among the readers who would be bothered by such a mixing, be forewarned. I would feel comfortable allowing my own children to read Merlin's Blade.<br />
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The story is fairly clean of objectionable elements. There is no salacious sexuality, and the violence is not terribly gory.<br />
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There were a couple places where the writing needed a bit more editing, in my opinion. For instance, at one place in the book the bad guys have surrounded the good guys, are in fact on the same wagon with the good guys. The scene closes without a resolution. When the next scene opens the good guys are far away from the bad guys and locked in a building, but there's no explanation of how that change happened. How did the good guys get away from the bad guys? Such an oversight disappoints me. That example was not the only such mistake, but such mistakes were few and overall the writing was strong and good.<br />
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I would recommend this book, with the qualifications to be found earlier in this post, to those readers who enjoying Arthurian romances and fantasy novels.The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-56226650415644824482013-08-21T16:09:00.000-07:002013-08-22T12:40:45.513-07:00Another List, because, GASP!, I've been too busy (reading) to blogBlood of the Lambs, by Kamal Saleem. Saleem is surrounded by a bit of controversy, and I won't vouch for his personal integrity, but the story he tells (purportedly his memoir) does seem to be in line with what we hear about militant Islam from other sources. Thrilling, frightening, enlightening.<br />
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Marriage and Caste in America, by Kay S. Hymowitz. A good book, but not as important as her other book Manning Up, so, if you only read one, read Manning Up.<br />
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Twenty-Five Books That Shaped America, by Thomas C. Foster. I really liked his book How to Read Literature Like a Professor, so I had high hopes for this one, but it fell flat, in my opinion. For one thing, early on I found myself profoundly disagreeing with his interpretation of The Scarlet Letter, but that disagreement caused me not to trust him as much when it came to books I haven't read (which happen to be most of the books he treats of, as I haven't been a big reader of American Literature).<br />
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Mrs. Jeffries and the Feast of St. Stephen, by Emily Brightwell. A light-hearted Victorian mystery. Certainly the book turned out better than I expected when I began it, yet it was still brain candy. I wouldn't be opposed to reading more of the Mrs. Jeffries series (apparently quite extensive, though this was my first exposure to it), but nor would I seek them out.<br />
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Cruel and Usual Punishment, by Nonie Darwish. It is subtitled, The Terrifying Global Implications of Sharia Law. Terrifying they are. Ms. Darwish tells of the impact of Sharia law on individuals and on families and on societies, sharing some of the history of the Arab culture in which Islam arose. She suggests that Islam provides a religious justification for the enslavement and subjugation of weaker people, be they women, children, or other people groups.<br />
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The Homelanders series by Andrew Klavan. An exciting series of four books written for Young Adults. Not my first choice of genre, but they were fun reads. I think adolescent males would really enjoy reading them. About this, I would say you definitely need to read them in order, and read all four of them. The story line runs through all four books, and is progressively revealed through all four books, and they become better as they go along.<br />
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Beauty, by Robin McKinley. This was a pleasant retelling of the fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast. I did like it, but I was also uncomfortably reminded of my misspent youth, glutting on romance novels. My own problem with it does not make it unsuitable for others, and it was nicely written.<br />
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Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me, by Karen Swallow Prior. I do like reading about books and reading, but Booked is definitely low on my list for such books. It simply did not move me as much as other books about reading (though I did prefer it to Foster's book mentioned above).<br />
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Dreamers of the Day, by Mary Doria Russell. A well-written window into a place and a period of time I was practically ignorant of, yet with some odd features (I won't detail them, as they'd give part of it away). Ms. Russell is a talented and versatile woman.<br />
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Murder Being Once Done, by Ruth Rendell. My first mystery by Ruth Rendell, a writer many later mystery writers look up to and mention as a hero. I thought it better than the Mrs. Jeffries mystery mentioned above, but not as good as my favorite authors (I do like me some Christie and Sayers and P.D. James). I would certainly read more by her, though. Warning: there are a couple flamboyantly homosexual characters in this book.<br />
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The Duck Commander Family, by Willie and Korie Robertson. I've only watched one episode of Duck Commander, mainly because my husband is not at all interested in the show. So many of my friends watch and like it, though, that I wanted to familiarize myself with the characters. This was a quick and pleasant read. The formula of tying each chapter to a moral lesson and a recipe seemed a tad bit contrived at times. Reading the book increased my interest in watching some more episodes of the show.<br />
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Lit!, by Tony Reinke. This book is just about the best book about reading I have ever read (I could almost say the best, but worry I might be forgetting one). If you pick one book to read from my list, I highly recommend you pick this one. The first half treats of the theological and philosophical defense of reading. The second half offers practical tips for reading. The whole book deliberately and explicitly seeks to glorify God, to the point that one could almost use it to evangelize unbelievers. I read it on the Kindle, but I'd like to own a physical copy. Scratch that. I'd like to own several physical copies so I could hand them out. I plan to reread it.<br />
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One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp. She has a distinct way of writing. Sometimes I found that tedious and irritating, sometimes I was startled by the insights she was thus able to elucidate. I need to think through the ending a bit, as I'm not sure if my discomfort with some of the things she says at the end is right or wrong. But, I would recommend it. I think it could be life-changing for some readers.<br />
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Seekers of the Lost Boy, by Taryn Hayes. A decent children's fiction book set in South Africa dealing with Apartheid, and with a pointed evangelistic message.The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-67368025708078342992013-06-11T21:19:00.000-07:002013-06-11T21:19:08.389-07:00A ListBecause, I've continued to read through all our preparations to move, but have no time to blog.<br />
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I've now read the first two volumes in the three volume series of Call the Midwife. I have enjoyed them. The writing is nice, but could have used a bit more editing. I'm looking forward to the third volume. I watched the first episode of the television series, but don't plan to watch anymore. The first volume deals more with birth stories, the second not so much. In fact, I can't recall a single birth story in the second volume. The second volume deals with workhouses and wars. I would recommend the books, but there is a lengthy section in the first volume dealing with prostitutes, which is sad and bleak enough, but within that lengthy section is a lengthy and all-too-vivid description of a strip show performance. It did not seem to be intended to titillate its readers (unlike Water for Elephants, which I couldn't finish reading), but it was still WAY TOO MUCH. I didn't need it for my heart to be broken for the women (girls) held in slavery.<br />
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The Self-Propelled Advantage, by Joanne Calderwood. This book was written to encourage parents to allow their children greater freedom in pursuing education, greater freedom being an incentive to greater performance. I was struck by both the similarities and dissimilarities with Tiger Mother. Both mothers (Mrs. Calderwood has eight children, whom she home schools) desire their children to strive for excellence. Mrs. Calderwood believes greater freedom increases a child's desire to do well. Ms. Chua micromanages. Ms. Chua really is a helicopter parent. Mrs. Calderwood is not. Ms. Chua believes she ought to make most of the decisions for her children. Mrs. Calderwood believes the child should be taught how to make decisions, and then allowed to make them. I would recommend The Self-Propelled Advantage to parents, and we will be changing things in our house on account of my reading the book.<br />
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I checked out a book called Drive, by Daniel Pink, and a book called Don't Eat the Marshmallow...Yet!, by Joachim de Posada because they are recommended in Self-Propelled. I am looking forward to reading them, and think I may find them of even greater benefit than Self-Propelled.<br />
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I guess that's it, though I had thought I had read more than that recently...The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6711813936917120369.post-66852004118687862502013-06-11T21:05:00.000-07:002013-06-11T21:05:16.722-07:00An AnnouncementAn announcement, for those of my readers who know me in person but do not 'know' me on facebook. My DH took a new job. We will be moving, in state, to be closer to his new work. I'm not wanting to say more in this public place.The Giggling Gullhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05963985583783381283noreply@blogger.com0