October Book Review <3
Since the end of the month is falling on a Monday, I figured this was a good day to do the book review for October.
The photo above has nothing to do with the book reviews, it just made me laugh. I saw it at the campground where we held our fall women’s retreat for church and somehow the Zip Line in addition to all the other fruits of the Spirit just didn’t seem to fit.
Though I would need all of them to fight the panic should I ever be forced to be snapped into one of those harnesses and sent to my death across a flimsy clothes line apparatus.
But I digress.
Here are the two books I finished in October:
#1
This one is why I say “finished” instead of read.
It took me several months to get this one checked off because it is like a text book, not my usual genre and much of it is from actual diary/journal entries; so old English which was a delightful challenge.
I found this book fascinating.
I also realized how little I remember (or ever learned) of American History. The thing I love about this is it isn’t someone analyzing history, it is actual history we have captured for us to learn about from the large amount of correspondence both John and Abigail had with each other, with their family and with other key figures in the formation and early growth of America.
I want to share my takeaways from this, but they are too extensive to add into this post. So I will make just one post about that tomorrow. However, I want to share my biggest takeaway.
If you think that political divide and intrigue, partisan and bi-partisan issues running amok, our political leaders are somewhat skewed and greedy for power, agendas often run the government rather than what is best for the general population…you will find it all in the material captured by John and Abigail in the ink that flowed from their mutual pens.
Please come back tomorrow or just read the book <3
#2
Since the pages of #1 took a lot of concentration to absorb, I finished out the month with another in the Mitford series that two of my good friends have loved and shared with me.
If you are unfamiliar with the series, Jan Karon has written multiple books about the fictional town and inhabitants of Mitford. In this smallish town near the mountains of North Carolina, the stories revolve around a lot of characters anchored by the story of Father Tim, the beloved Anglican priest and his later-in-life marriage to his polar opposite, children’s author Cynthia Coppersmith.
Spoiler alert…too late…when you start the series, it’s like a Hallmark Movie. You know these two are going to end up together, but the pathway is slowly winding.
Father Tim is a sincere and genuine shepherd to his church and flock and even people who don’t attend, but like all of us…sigh..the poor man has some baggage. It is in this struggle with his past that I found myself at times texting my two friends and telling them he needed to get some counseling or he was going to lose Cynthia.
They just laughed at me.
Seriously, one night as I was going to sleep and I was praying for our family and friends, I actually found myself praying for Father Tim to be able to forgive his dad and receive some healing.
And there within lies the reason I rarely read fiction.
Even light fiction.
It is obviously difficult for me to unblur the boundary between what is real and what is imaginary in my mind and heart.
Oh well. My friends got a good laugh and turns out God answered the prayer in an unusual way as I finished the book and Father Tim did experience a measure of release.
As I was reading, I found this quote at the end of a letter some friends wrote to Tim and Cynthia in their absence. I thought it was beautiful and I am sharing with you today as it expresses so well the way we feel when someone close is no longer with us due to either distance or death.
“Best love to you and Cynthia. When you left it was as if a candle flame had been snuffed out, but we are soldiering on.”
Jan Karon, In This Mountain; 2002, Penguin Books, Pg 62
Oh my gosh, I love that.
I hope you have a great Monday, and please come back tomorrow to hear some of the thoughts gleaned from the other book. It was such an intriguing view into history and human nature and the early foundation of this country.
Blessings <3