Oh, The Places I've Been This Year--Between the Pages of Books

It's been quite year for people and places!

Hopefully you can say the same, whether in 3D out in the world, or 2D in the pages of a book.I didn't travel much in person, but I've been from Iran to England, Laos to America. I've travelled from the middle ages to modern times, WWII and the Civil war. I've met royalty, prisoners, sea captains and missionaries, to name a few. 

Several of these books I read for "school", others I picked up to peruse and couldn't put down, some were recommendations, and many were just pure curiosity to see what all the buzz was about, but all of them lead me somewhere interesting.

I am absolutely convinced that I am in large part what I have read over all these decades. My life has been profoundly affected by Ingalls, Anne, Narnia and the like, and the power of the telling of a tale or a life never ceases to astonish me! Fortunately as Solomon said, there is no end to the writing of books! And that was c. 700BC.

Not because anyone might be particularly interested, but rather as an exploration of my year in print, I'm going to peek back into each of these and try to remember what it had to say to me. Hopefully in brief!

Disclaimer: This list is neither complete, nor in exact order of reading. Nor was I fortunate enough to get paid to read any of these.

The Way of All Flesh-- Samuel Butler

From the "Classics" shelf, again. Samuel Butler is a great writer. And this story is so anchored in its Victorian world that even as it's trying to break free and be objective and critical of its own time, that very thing allows us to see the Victorians through a glass more clearly. This book was Butler being so critically autobiographical that it wasn't published until after his death for fear of offence. It grapples with religion, parenting, Darwin, and social mores; however his conclusions are not exactly satisfying  as he seems to rail against his society yet cannot quite find any other leg to stand on. 

A Room With a View / A Passage to India -- E.M. Forster

Now, I have seen neither of the movies based on these titles and I had no idea going in what they were about, really. I'm not even sure why I picked two books by him this year, they were on my "Classics" shelf and I was in the mood for cracking some classics, I guess. They are both written in the early 1900's and really portray an excellent picture daily life, thoughts, morals, habits etc. of the time and place, which is probably why I read each through to the end.  

A Room With a View was a rather odd, spunky book, and I was interested to see what happened to Miss Honeychurch. Forster's writing assumes that you are familiar with a great many things of time and place, and since I was born in the latter part of the 20th Century and not the earlier, I found it difficult to follow, but I learned some stuff!

A Passage to India was rather gloomy and I almost didn't finish it, but I find the period of British rule in India fascinating, and it certainly detailed the interpersonal relationship between Indian and Brit in an eye-opening way. So, I learned more stuff!

Our Great Adventure in Faith -- Vernon Schlief

Lent to me by a good friend, this biography of a couple living entirely on faith in their great God, was certainly humbling! My friend had met the author and could vouch for the work, otherwise it would be just plain hard to believe! This couple started, amongst other things: a Christian Servicemen's Center, a radio station, a children's home, a Bible/book store, all without anything that one would consider resources . . .  What am I doing with my life? Yikes.

Moby-Dick-- Herman Melville

So, I said I was a on a classics binge, well, even a binge couldn't get me through Moby-Dick. Not that it wasn't well written, I just decided I didn't care enough about whales and oceans to see what happened. Plus I read a bunch of pre-notes on the book and Melville, and they made all these weird connections to things I'd rather not know about and, so, yeah, I only made it to chapter 29. I'm another Moby-Dick failure. 

Jake and the Kid-- W.O. Mitchell

I picked this one up because I'd read "Who Has Seen the Wind" a while back and I really liked the Candianness of it. Set on the Canadian prairies it just gives a familiar flavour. Plus, I love catching how life was different not so many years ago during WWII as it unfolds in Mitchell's writing. He is a masterful eight-year-old boy, and just darn-right funny!

Adoniram Judson-- Janet and Geoff Benge

Boy, want an edge-of-your-seat story? All true? Get your hands on this one! Adoniram was America's first foreign missionary--and back then foreign was really foreign. He and his wife spent their lives for the Lord in Burma. There is no fictional story I've ever read that can compare with these folks who literally gave their all for their God. It's hard to get into a regular novel after reading one of these. Again, what am I doing with my life?!

Prisoner of Tehran: A Memoir-- Marina Nemat

I picked this up in a book bin for free because I particularly love biographies about women from other countries, and this was exactly that and had the added bonus of being recent history. Marina was imprisoned in 1982 in the Iran war as a teenager, under force converted to Islam and married her captor, was then widowed and released to escape to Canada and tell her story. While I was acting like a teenager in a John Hughes movie, this girl was fighting for her life. Sobering. We can't take freedom too lightly!!

The Yearling-- Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

Another from my "Classics" shelf that I wanted to preview for my kids. Wow. Another area I find fascinating is the deep south of America and this novel fits the bill being set in backwoods Florida in the '30's. Absolutely masterfully written, the story carries you right along and you don't even know you're reading. And the whole lifestyle being so foreign to me, it was constantly fascinating. Reading spanned over time and place gives you a view of human nature that is hard to duplicate other than maybe time travel. It's changed my life. 

The Professor and the Madman-- Simon Winchester

A purely curiotic read on my part. Who could resist a tagline like: "A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary." Not me! Although I profess, I didn't get much out of it. The story is interesting and if not written by a journalist as a sensation piece, could be a good one, but in this case it felt like reading one long tabloid story. What I learned is that I will avoid most writings by journalists in the future. 

Eye of the Tempest-- Lloyd D. Oppel

Now here was a truly fascinating read for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that our family knows the author. This is a hair-raising, autobiographical telling of imprisonment of two missionaries during the Vietnam War. To say the story is harrowing is an understatement. To learn that this man and his fellow prisoner not only never lost faith in their God, but both went back to serve in Laos to this day is about as good a testimony as there is. 

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl-- Harriet Jacobs

Just the kind of book I like. A first person account of a period in history that I've heard much about but clearly haven't really grasped, and with a relatively happy ending. Harriet was indeed a slave girl but somehow came through the most torturous situations, kept herself and children together, and played a part in the freedom movement for slaves after the Civil War. What was I complaining about, again?

Becoming Mrs. Lewis-- Patti Callahan

Despite being filled with lots of interesting details about both C.S. Lewis and his wife, Joy Davidman, I really struggled through Ms Callahan's writing. A better writer could have made this book great, as there was certainly a lot of research behind it. It was interesting to peer into the personal life of one of the twentieth century's greatest thinkers and theologians. He was a fallible human being with an exceptionally clear mind and a desire to know God. Inspirational in his humanity.

Northanger Abby--Jane Austen

I picked this one off myself because--well, Jane. Sometimes her wit is just what the doctor ordered. I almost didn't read it, actually, because it felt too shallow after something like "Eye of the Tempest" (see above), but I pressed on and thoroughly enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek, fairytale ending, and period setting of the whole thing. Miss Austen just makes me smile. 

Moll Flanders-- Daniel Defoe

Reading Moll Flanders arose from reading Robinson Crusoe last year, which, except for the ending, I thoroughly enjoyed more than I thought I would. The writing was clever and deep, and I was hoping for more of the same from Moll, and I got it! Moll is a fascinating character, made all the more so since apparently Defoe was writing for money at the time and therefore writing what would sell. (Turns out people always want the same stuff!) Although Moll makes questionable choices, the whole existence of opportunity for women in the 17th century is what is really questionable. It doesn't excuse her, but one can barely blame her. Life stunk for a single women in those days. 

Again, was I complaining? Geesh. 

Alcott in Her Own Time-- Daniel Shealy

The second book I reeeeallly didn't need to read in 2019. I already knew enough about Louisa May Alcott (author of Little Women) before I started to satisfy nearly anybody, but I picked this up in the Book Bin (that Book Bin program will be the end of me!) and went ahead and read 36 recollections about Louisa by those who knew her. I'm a sucker for primary sources and so couldn't put it down. I did learn quite a bit about Transcendentalism, however . . . 

The Bookseller of Kabul-- Asne Seierstad

Since my favourite way to learn about times and places through a story, this one was perfect. An eyewitness account from a woman who actually lived with an Afghani family for four months just after the fall of the Taliban and came back to tell us the tale. The enduring message of this book for me was the story of the women. Suffice it to say, I would not want to be an Afghani woman. And it is good for me to know that.

Crispin and the Cross of Lead-- Avi

I read this for my middle schoolers--or that's what I tell myself. I have learned an infinite amount  from reading middle school historical fiction, but that's another post. This is mostly a great story about the life of a boy in the middle ages, really well told, until the last quarter. My pet peeve is a great book ending in what seems like a deadline-dash for the author. This happens frequently and makes the ending completely unsatisfying. None-the-less, I learned that they did terrible things to people in the middle ages and really, it's a great book, and a Newberry winner, a little delve into history. 

Root From Dry Ground: The Story of SIM-- Rowland Bingham

SIM originally stood for "Sudan Interior Mission" and this is the story of its origins beginning with three young men, two of whom never even made it to the Sudan, Africa was so treacherous a place in 1893. The story of the mission, written by the surviving missionary, is filled with unbelievable miracles and humbling trust in the Lord.

The Life of Henry Martyn-- John Hall

ANOTHER HUMBLING MISSIONARY STORY!! A very early missionary to India and Persia; dead by 1812 at the age of 31. But what he did in those 31 years, still reaps a harvest in 2020. His translation of the New Testament into Persian is still in use, I believe. This young man literally poured himself out of the cause of Christ, and although the writing is dated (1832) the profundity of his life hasn't left me. What am I doing with my life?

A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal 1830-32-- Joan W. Blos

Another middle school historical fiction--but so well told! I don't know who Joan W. Blos was, but she wrote beautifully and realistically, so much so that I had to keep reminding myself it was a novel and not a real journal. Life was hard. You had to suck it up and get on with whatever needed getting on with, or you died, basically. Was I complaining about something? 

Gulliver's Travels-- Jonathan Swift

So, this little book came my way and since I remembered the cartoon I watched on Saturday mornings, I thought I'd see if I could figure what it was really about. Wow! Seriously, this was one of the most brilliant pieces of writing I've ever read. The cartoon was cute with the Lilliputians and all, but all the satire is lost on it. There is no substitute for reading the actual text and stretching your brain around Swift's commentary on humanity--and having a whack of good laughs along the way! This was a Classic that was actually worth reading. 

May You Be the Mother of a Hundred Sons: A Journey Among the Women of Indai--Elisabeth Bumiller

Along the lines of the Bookseller of Kabul, this is another woman immersing herself in a culture not her own in the late '80's. She tells of the lives of India's women in a self-exploratory kind of way, challenging her own perceptions. She's not afraid to say that she cannot reconcile the rights of women with the aborting of female babies, which I thought was brave. After all, female babies should have women's rights too, shouldn't they? Anyway, another eye-opening book about things I knew nothing about. I wouldn't want to be a woman in India, either. 

David Bussau: Facing the World Head-on-- Janet and Geoff Benge

Another YWAM missionary story, but this one modern-day. Bussau is using his incredible business savvy to spread the gospel and help the poor in South East Asia. And is he savvy! He could be living the high life with the amount of money that has passed through is hands, but he chooses to use it for good. I didn't hear as much about God's work in this book as I would have hoped, but still a great reminder that it's not all about ourselves. 

Otto of the Silver Hand-- Howard Pyle

Another middle schooler, middle ages historical fiction! I've heard about this book for a long time and finally found it in--guess it--the Book Bin, so I was excited to grab it. It's an engrossing story about a boy born into the family of robber baron in Germany and really gives the sense of how helpless is the plight of children in almost every other time and place. The pictures are amazing, and again, as middle school reading, it gives good detail without the graphic quality of an adult novel telling the same kind of tale.

Billy Sunday and the Redemption of Urban America-- Lyle W. Dorsett

I've always wanted to know more about Billy Sunday--I mean, what a great name for a preacher, right? He was a tour de force of his time and preached to over 100 million people from 1908 - 1920. A pro-baseball player, he had a rather dramatic conversion and then ended up taking his enthusiasm on the road. I didn't know anything about him before, and I appreciated that this book presented him, warts and all, in a seemingly fair manner, and if I never read more about the man I feel like I got a real sense of him and his work and the tragedies of his life. Even a life sold-out for the Lord makes no promises of easy. We muddle along the best we can believing the best is yet to come. 

Three Cups of Tea-- Greg Mortenson

I totally LOVED this book. I was captivated by his story of discovering a need in a Pakistani community and ending up building 55 schools at great cost to his personal and financial self--until I read he was a fraud. ? .  That info was not in this book; this book is a terrific story of overcoming odds and doing something amazing. Sad. Still not sure what the real story is. Probably will never know and must just be left to feel unsatisfied over the whole thing . . .

Goforth of China-- by his wife, Rosalind Goforth

On the completely opposite hand from the above, is Mr. Jonathan Goforth. The work this missionary and his wife did in China is absolutely staggering. Such faith and perseverance as I will likely never have. It was a thoroughly inspiring read. I'd read it before in a YWAM version (for kids) which was excellent, but to hear it all first hand and have the primary source testimonies of his family and co-workers in the back was well worth a re-read. 100% humbling. 

Daughter of Empire: My Life as a Mountbatten-- Lady Pamela Hicks

A behind the scenes look at royalty in the 20th Century, really. Hicks was a bridesmaid of Queen Elizabeth and that sort of thing, so there was some fascinating stuff about what its really like to live that life. Yuck. I used to think these folks were somehow magical, but it turns out they are sinners just like me, but mostly without the hope that they could have. It's largely a tale of upperclass destruction and not particularly uplifting. Probably could have lived without this one this year, but then again, it made what I have appear as precious as the gift it really is. Money, position, wealth of any kind does not buy the peace that Christ gives for free. 

( . . . Not included in this list are the seemingly innumerable books I read aloud to my children, or the Bible, which I try to read daily. I finished my Chronological Bible and have moved on to the Apologetics Bible. )

What was the result of all this reading? Am I a better person for it? What was the point? The missionary biographies were by far the most inspiring and interesting, if not always the mostly deftly written. You just can't make up some of those stories!!  

I also heartily enjoyed taxing my mind with Jane Austin and Johnathon Swift. They felt like double dipping, exercise and fun all at once!

Thirdly, I enjoyed autobiographical books that took me into foreign lives. Though often feeling the hopelessness, when my understanding of another human being is increased, I consider that time well spent. 

So, for 2020?

I think I'll lay off most of the fiction. Even if it's "Classic". I like a good Dickens every once in a while, but I think I'll suss out some more real-life stuff. I also noticed I hardly read any self-help books this year! Unless I forgot to put them in the stack and also forget their content entirely. Since my Cancer experience, I haven't been terribly interested in improving myself in so overt a way, I guess. I'll have to explore that. I used to love that stuff . . .

Here's to another year of amazing page turning.