CREATE: Stop Making Excuses and Start Making Stuff, by Stephen Altrogge

CREATE 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.

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.

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.

Another List, because, GASP!, I've been too busy (reading) to blog

Blood 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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A List

Because, I've continued to read through all our preparations to move, but have no time to blog.

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.

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.

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.

I guess that's it, though I had thought I had read more than that recently...

A Year in Provence, by Peter Mayle

A Year in Provence was a delightful, fun, quick read. I didn't laugh out loud, I almost never do when I'm reading anything, but I had a smile stuck perpetually on my lips as I read. Mr. Mayle had a happy knack for bringing out the humor in every situation he described, a knack for gently and affectionately poking fun at the foibles of his neighbors and friends, and even at himself. He divided the book into twelve chapters, one for each month, and began with January.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. For the first time ever I wish to visit France, in part to see the countryside, but mostly to sample the cuisine. There are a handful of references to lewd behavior and one instance of a crude word, but the book is 'clean' other than that. Actually, there's an oft-repeated French word which seems to be a bit of a curse word, but ignorant I did not understand its meaning (meaning to say, if you understand that one word, possibly the book will seem less 'clean' to you). I'll be searching out Mr. Mayle's other works with alacrity.

A List of Recent Reading

A list of the books which I've recently read which do not merit individual posts (not in chronological order):

1. Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog: The Quirky History and Lost Art of Diagramming Sentences, by Kitty Burns Florey. This was a quick and fun read about, as the subtitle proclaims, the history and art of diagramming sentences. I enjoyed reading it, though I did disagree with some of the author's conclusions (she lets us know that she enjoyed diagramming as a student, but questions the value of teaching students to diagram; I disagree with her as to the value of diagramming). I would recommend it to readers who enjoy reading about grammar.

2. Maman's Homesick Pie: A Persian Heart in an American Kitchen, by Donia Bijan. Ms. Bijan was born and spent her childhood in Iran. The summer she was 15 she and her family were vacationing in Majorca, when the Shah was deposed. Her family knew they would be targeted by the new ruling radicals, so they fled to the U.S. Ms. Bijan went on to study at the Cordon Bleu. She presided over several acclaimed San Francisco restaurants, and then opened her own. Maman's Homesick Pie is part memoir, part cookbook, elegantly and poetically written. I believe it will appeal to many different sorts of readers, those interested in food (Ms. Bijan waxes rhapsodic about food), those interested in tales of family love (she also waxes rhapsodic about her mother's love for their family), those interested in true tales of immigrants, those interested in other cultures (Ms. Bijan's memory of the Iran of her childhood is clear and vivid). It was a very pleasant read. I would highly recommend it, to most readers.

3. Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, by Malcolm Gladwell. This book was interesting, but not as interesting or compelling as Outliers, also by Malcolm Gladwell, or other books about how people think, such as Brain Rules, by John Medina, or Distracted, by Maggie Jackson. If you're interested in reading something by Mr. Gladwell, I'd recommend you start with Outliers. If you're interested in reading about how the human brain functions, I'd recommend John Medina or Maggie Jackson, or Oliver Sacks, or even The Survivors Club, by Ben Sherwood. Blink was okay, but not really noteworthy.

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, by Amy Chua

In Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, Amy Chua details what Chinese parenting is all about for the enlightenment of Western parents. Not only does Ms. Chua describe Chinese parenting, she explicitly proclaims its superiority to Western parenting.

This book was a bit controversial when it first came out in 2011. People would share something Ms. Chua wrote about how she mothered her two daughters and exclaim over it. "She actually called her daughter a piece of garbage! Can you believe that?" "She handed a handmade birthday card back to her young daughter and told her it was unacceptable, that she had to make a new and better card. How shameful!"

Those, and some other specific examples, did make me cringe, and hurt inside for her daughters. I cannot fully embrace what Ms. Chua describes as Chinese parenting, nor do I think it's Biblical.

Having said that, however, I would go on to say that I think some of the criticisms of Western parenting which she makes are spot on. I agree with her that too much praise for pitiably weak or half-hearted efforts will not help the child succeed. I agree with her that learning a skill, and practicing it, which necessarily must involve a lot of time and labor, will give the child confidence with a sure foundation.

I agree with her that Chinese parenting will almost certainly be more successful at raising world-renowned concert pianists and violinists than Western parenting. I disagree with her that raising world-renowned concert pianists and violinists is the best goal for all parents. I agree that there is tremendous value in knowing a demanding instrument well. I disagree that it is the most valuable pursuit a parent can require of a child.

While I read Battle Hymn, I was reminded of what I've read elsewhere about the Chinese approach to learning and life. In The Horse That Leaps Through Clouds, Eric Enno Tamm quotes a professor at a Chinese University as saying that if you want to hear the next world-class musician performing classical music, come to China, but if you want to find the next world-class composer, look elsewhere. In The Little Red Guard, the author, Wenguang Huang, says that he was taught to memorize and parrot back everything his teacher said; when he spent a semester studying at a university in Britain, he flunked his classes because his teachers there didn't want him only memorizing lectures.

I also wonder how Chinese parenting deals with those who are truly unable to excel, no matter how many hours of practice they put in. Ms. Chua does mention her younger sister, born with Down Syndrome. Her parents took a Western parenting approach with that daughter, keeping her with them instead of institutionalizing her.

As a Christian parent, my fondest hope is to see my children walking with the Lord. Worldly success can be sweet and pleasant, but it comes at a price, and it is not ultimate. It behooves me to help equip my children to do their duty skillfully and cheerfully, to the best of their ability and to the glory of the Lord. My one overarching aim in parenting is, or at least ought to be, God's glory, and I trust and hope that he has bound up his glory in redeeming my children, and that overarching aim must inform and give direction to all my lesser aims.

I finished Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother with the firm conviction that it must be very unpleasant to be Amy Chua's child. And to what end? To be better than everyone else? That seems empty, futile, and arrogant to me.

I would recommend this book to readers interested in other cultures, in parenting, and in how parenting is practiced in different cultures.

What to Expect When No One's Expecting: America's Coming Demographic Disaster, by Jonathan V. Last

This is another must-read book about demography. People simply aren't having enough children, and, as a result, a disaster of unimaginable scope and extent is just around the corner. Already in Japan more adult diapers are sold than baby diapers. Nearly every country in the world is headed for a population implosion, and along the way nations will have a population that resembles an inverted pyramid, with the oldest ages forming the largest groups of people.

This book had enough numbers to glaze my non-mathematically-inclined eyes over a bit, but the thrust of the book is clear, the numbers are there and documented for those who do like to read such things, and the message of the book is sobering.

I would recommend this book to any reader who is concerned about the current state of the world, or even just of the U.S., or who is concerned about the likely future of the world or the U.S. I think, on the whole, Philip Longman's book The Empty Cradle is the better and easier read, so if you only read one on the current demographic situation around the world, read that one, but if you can afford the time to read two, do read both. But the most important recent book about demography is How Civilizations Die, by David Goldman, so if you truly can read only one, read that one.

Christian Liberty Nature Reader, Book 5

I read this book to my children on account of Ambleside Online's recommendation. I really enjoyed it, and my children really enjoyed it. This Nature Reader covers such topics as blood, muscles, nerves, bones, the coverings of animals, how animals think, and how man is superior to animals. Each chapter concludes with an extensive list of questions about the chapter. Some of the explanations are a bit dated (for instance, the book claims that electricity is not involved in the brain sending messages to, or receiving messages from, the nerves).

On the whole I thought this book an excellent narrative book (not a modern textbook) about scientific topics for children. I would recommend it to those looking for a science book with literary quality for children. I would like to acquire the other books in the series and read them with my children.

Perhaps even more importantly, I would recommend Ambleside Online to any parent or educator.

http://www.amblesideonline.org/index.shtml

Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving, by Eric Metaxas

I selected this title because Eric Metaxas's name has been in the news recently, on account of his recently published biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his remarks at the national prayer breakfast. 'Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving' is a brief children's picture book biography of Squanto. It underscores how God provided for the Pilgrims by preparing Squanto to help them.

I don't really have a strong opinion about this book one way or the other. It didn't stand out to me as either wonderful or horrible. I have allowed my six-year-old daughter to read it, and she enjoyed it. And I am still hoping to read Mr. Metaxas's biography of Bonhoeffer.

I agree with Mr. Metaxas's concluding remark: "Who but the glorious God of heaven could so miraculously weave together the wandering lives of a lonely Patuxet brave and a struggling band of English Pilgrims in such a way that would bless the whole world for centuries to come?"

I read a review copy of this book, in exchange for my opinion of it freely rendered. Thanks Netgalley and Thomas Nelson publishers for giving me a review copy of this book.

The Mighty Weakness of John Knox, by Douglas Bond

Douglas Bond, author of several historical novels for young people, here offers a biography of a mighty man of faith, John Knox, leader of the reformation in Scotland. This book was a well-written, easy-to-read biography with literary flair. I profited from reading this book, and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in church history. And I will tell you what makes this book so great: while its topic was the life of Knox, its focus was the glory of God.

The Lamb, by John R. Cross

The Lamb is a beautifully written and beautifully illustrated book for children which tells the history of redemption from creation to the resurrection, focussing on the theme of the lamb of God. It is simply and compellingly told in ten chapters, with review questions at the end of each chapter.

I only had two problems with its presentation: I believe in particular atonement, but the description of atonement in The Lamb was not a description of particular atonement; it includes pictures of Jesus. That objectionable description of atonement only arose at one place in the book, and led to a wonderful discussion with my children. Sadly, the pictures of Jesus show up on many pages.

Five of my children, ranging in age from 11yo to 3yo, listened attentively to my reading The Lamb out loud, and the 1yo's inattentiveness is not to be wondered at.

I would highly recommend this to those who are in a position to read to children.

Thank you, New Book Friend, for loaning me your copy of this lovely book.

A Gospel Primer for Christians: Learning to See the Glories of God's Love, by Milton Vincent

This is an excellent book for Christians, one which I would highly recommend to all readers. The book is short and simple, but a treasure trove for believers. It is divided into four sections: Reasons to Rehearse the Gospel Daily, a prose Gospel Narrative, a poetic Gospel Narrative, and a brief account of how the author came to write the book. This book can be life-changing.

God's grace is not only sufficient, it is beautiful and powerful and humbling.

Thank you, New Book Friend (you know who you are), for giving me a copy.

What Your Husband Isn't Telling You: A Guided Tour of a Man's Body, Soul, and Spirit, by David Murrow

The title is a bit scary, but the book is well worth the read. I can't say that I learned a whole lot, but it was good to be reminded of some of the differences between men and women, what's most important to my husband, and why it's okay for that to be most important.

I'd boil down Mr. Murrow's advice to this: a man needs plenty of food, sex, and respect from his wife.

Mr. Murrow backs up some of his claims with some reasons that smack of evolution, which I don't care for, but that doesn't mean his claims are false. I was not entirely surprised at the end to learn that Mr. Murrow is an elder in a Presbyterian Church of the USA church.

I'd recommend this book to wives.

Thank you Netgalley and Baker Publishing Group for allowing me to read a review copy of this book. My husband thanks you, too.

Graceful (For Young Women): Letting Go of Your Try-Hard Life, by Emily P. Freeman

Mrs. Freeman wrote Graceful for young women of high school age who are 'good girls,' who try hard to do what is right, who try too hard and who do not rest in the grace of God. Graceful is Mrs. Freeman's plea for them to rest in God's grace.

Mrs. Freeman's style is winsome, poetical, and engaging. She tells many personal stories, of her own youth and of her friends. I especially appreciated that she did not talk down to her audience, nor dismiss their concerns as frivolous (a fault I think I would commit).

I suspect I would have some theological disagreements with Mrs. Freeman, but they would be minor and do not much impact this book. Her love for the Lord and his grace shines through in this book. I would recommend it to the 'good girls' of my acquaintance.

Thanks to Netgalley and Revell for the review copy they allowed me to read.

Escape from Camp 14, by Blaine Harden

Shin Dong-Hyuk was born in a prison camp in North Korea, a child of a 'reward marriage.' His parents were allowed to be together five nights a year. Shin Dong-Hyuk is the only person known to have been born and raised in a prison camp and to have escaped. Escape from Camp 14 tells the story of his early life, his escape, and his life now that he is a free man in the West.

His story is a chilling, disturbing, harrowing, horrifying story. He was raised to be a snitch. He was always hungry. He never knew love, but did not realize he was missing out. He was tortured. One of his fingers was cut off because he dropped a sewing machine. He ratted on his mother and older brother when he overheard their plans to escape, which led to their executions. Every facet of the prison experience worked to dehumanize Shin and the other prisoners.

He only came to realize there was a life outside the camp, a life of civilization, a life where many people are able to eat to fullness, when he became responsible to train a recently imprisoned man. The man filled Shin's ears with tales of the food available in other places. Shin eventually decided to escape with this new friend, more from hunger than from any desire for freedom.

Every part of Shin's story saddened me, but I think the saddest part of all was how his early experiences unfitted Shin to be in society. He has an extraordinarily hard time trusting anyone, or expecting them to trust him.

If you are interested in reading a behind-the-scenes, factual account of life in a North Korean prison camp, look no further. This is the book for you. However, I feel it only fair to warn you that it is so disturbing as to be stomach-turning.

Blaine Harden is to be congratulated for telling Shin's story in a straight-forward, non-histrionic manner. Shin's story is compelling enough without embellishment.

The Big Picture Story Bible, by David Helm

I liked this book, and would recommend it to Christian parents of young children, and Christian teachers of young children. The simple, engaging text and profusion of colorful pictures won over my young listeners, and older readers. The sound theology won me over. I thought it was perfect for my 3yo and 6yo audience members.

This story Bible recounts biblical history beginning with creation, focussing on the theme of the 'forever king.' The description of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, simple enough for a young child to grasp, was nevertheless profound enough to move me to tears.

I have only one complaint to make against the book: it pictures Christ, which I can't help but consider as a violation of the law of God. Why must story Bibles do that? This is not the only one I know of to include pictures of Christ.

I read a friend's copy, but am now desirous of owning my own copy, so's I might be able to share it with my children again and again.

A List {SIGH}

I have been overborne by circumstances once again. Aurelius said one should not excuse one's mistakes, misdeeds, neglect on circumstances. Sorry, Aurelius. Here comes a list, instead of individual postings about each book I've finished recently.

The Heart of a Goof, by P.G. Wodehouse. Definite hit. Much better than the last Wodehouse book I read. Perhaps because it is approximately 50 years older, having been written early in the 20th century instead of late in the 20th century. If you like Wodehouse, if you might like Wodehouse, give this one a try. You don't even have to like golf.

The Sweet Dove Died, by Barbara Pym. Forget it. Not worth it. I picked it up because of Susan Hill's recommendation of Pym in her book Howard's End is on the Landing. It has some of the trappings of a novel of manners, but is too frivolous, and one of the main characters is openly bi-sexual. I found it as disappointing as I've found E.M. Forster's books. I shan't be trying any other of Pym's work.

The Various Haunts of Men, by Susan Hill. A Simon Serrailler mystery, the first, in fact. I found it unsatisfying, though not for want of skill of the author. I did not feel as though I was pitting my wits agains those of the investigator. I did not like becoming attached to a main character, only for that character to be killed near the end (I kept hoping it would turn out to be a police ploy, but, alas, no). I liked the people, and several of them, no doubt, appear in following volumes of Simon Serrailler mysteries. I intend to read another of Mrs. Hill's mysteries, unlike my intentions regarding Ms. Pym and her work.

Bookworms, edited by Laura Furman and Elinore Standard. A collection of essays, letters, excerpts by writers (and readers) about reading. I enjoyed reading it, but who's surprised by that? I thought the various pieces were of various quality, being written by various people, but who's surprised by that? I would recommend it to readers who like reading about reading (is that a bit like a meta-narrative?), but not to those who don't. Do readers who don't like reading about reading read book blogs?

Howard's End is on the Landing: A Year of Reading from Home, by Susan Hill

Susan Hill, an accomplished author and publisher, went looking for a particular book in her extensive personal library, but couldn't find it. Instead, she found many books she loved but hadn't read in a long while, and books she owned but had never read. She conceived the idea of challenging herself only to read books she already owned for one whole year. Howard's End is on the Landing is her account of her reading during that year.

I liked this book, as you, gentle reader, no doubt surmised from the subtitle of the book alone. And yet, and yet. Mrs. Hill personally knew, or at the least met and was acquainted with, many of the authors she discusses. On the one hand I grew a bit tired of reading such things as, 'When I met Ian Fleming at the party...' (I made that quote up), and on the other hand, I was fascinated by the sort of behind-the-scenes views of authors whose works I've read: 'The beam of light falls on a man standing leaning against a fireplace. His cocktail is on the shelf beside him. In his hand there is a cigarette holder. He has a high colour to his high cheekbones, a high forehead, too. High style. I am old enough to know that it is rude to stare but who would not stare at the craggy remains of such mesmerising good looks?' (I quoted that.)

And, I really should have learned better self-control by now, because of course my already stupendously-long TBR list has grown even longer by reading this book. Not only did I discover authors and titles I was previously unfamiliar with, not only did I gain a better understanding of titles I had perhaps disdained (and therefore never planned to read), but I also now must look into other works by Mrs. Hill herself.

So, gentle reader, beware. If you, like I am, are easily led to expand your TBR, don't pick up this book. (By which I mean to say, I recommend this book to those who like to read about books.)

Wings and the Child, or the Building of Magic Cities, by E. Nesbit

A blog I occasionally read recently touted this as a free-for-Kindle book, the title intrigued me, and I know I like Nesbit (at least as an author for children's books). I enjoyed reading this book, but then I often enjoy reading about how to raise and educate children. Nesbit's prose, however, was a delight in itself, and would render reading her work a pleasant task, no matter the subject of which she wrote. Mrs. Nesbit wrote this book because first she built magic cities with her son, then wrote a book for children in which the children build a magic city and then become small enough to enter the city (called, surprisingly enough, The Magic City), then received letters from her young readers asking if they could build magic cities, then built a magic city which was put on display, at which teachers and parents asked her to write a book to guide them in allowing their children to build magic cities. A magic city is a city made of various materials at hand. The magic is in the imagination. Mrs. Nesbit, happily, ranged far from that topic. Her descriptions of what it is like to be a child alone are worth the reading of the book, but the whole book is worthwhile. I would only edit somewhat the length of her discussion of specific, practical ideas for building a city. The philosophical section of the book is by far the best (though, of course, I do not agree with everything she asserts; she seems to dismiss teaching children to read by phonics, and she favors redistributing wealth, for two instances). I would recommend this book to parents, teachers, and anyone generally interested in reading about the best way to raise and educate children. The book is short. By the way, I do not know why, but when I write a blog post on my iPad, it shows up in separate paragraphs in the rough draft, but publishes as one paragraph. I shall have to consult my IT dept (AKA DH).

Dubai Dreams: Inside the Kingdom of Bling, by Raymond Barrett

Mr. Barrett spent about a year in Dubai, researching to write this book. He seems no stranger to the Middle East, displaying more than a passing familiarity with other nations in that region. He observed and wrote with a sympathetic, but not with a blind, eye. I appreciated the breadth of his book; he examines many aspects of life in Dubai, as well as some of its history, and some of its expected future. I would recommend this book to readers interested in gaining a deeper insight into Dubai and the Middle East more generally.