The Joy of Rereading

While I was making myself french toast this morning, I ruminating over some things. The one that stands out most prominently however is my tendency to reread my favorite books. I have always thought this a sort of weakness, something like a fear of breaking out of what is comfortable. This summer, my thoughts on this tendency changed when I had an interview at the library for my dream job: stocking shelves. Although I didn't get the job (they didn't like that I lived about an hour away), I came home with a new found respect for rereading books.

Within the interview, one of the librarians with whom I was talking asked me what books I like to read. My goodness, she opened the floodgates. We then talked about books for about 5 minutes, and when I mentioned Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, she told me that she rereads it once or twice a year.

This woman inspired me to not feel shame in my desire to reread books. She is in charge of shelving and sees new books come in and out of the library all the time, and yet, she continues to reread books.

My desire to reread books was then fueled. Though I will read new books, I never again feel like there is anything wrong with rereading a quality book. I feel joy in them and want to experience it again and again. And there is nothing wrong with that.

Here are some of my favorites that I have reread at least once:

The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis (every time I finish this book, I get the feeling that I could never read again and still be happy; and that is significant when you are a reader)

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle

The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carlson Levine

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien

Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis

East by Edith Pattou

Peter Pan by James M. Barrie

And some I plan on rereading:

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Northlander by Meg Burden

Foundling by D.M. Cornish

Lamplighter by D.M. Cornish

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

These are not all of the books I love, but these are many that have I have either read twice or three times (or more). Hope you can find some here that give you joy like they do for me!

Happy reading and rereading!

Cooking Through Potholes

So for those of you keeping score, I have now made a few dishes toward my cooking goal.

I have successfully made an Apple Tart Bread, a Country White Bread, Chicken in Creamy Pan Sauce, and brats. To be honest, the hardest recipes were the white bread and the brats. The brats were hard possibly because they were not a recipe. And bread is just hard to make, but ooooh-so-good when finished. Thank you to my beautiful sister-in-law for help with the bread, and to my patient parents who eat what I make and help when they can.

Cooking is a struggle for me. Brats were very difficult for me to make just because I didn't have specific directions to follow. My need for directions, concrete directions, seems to be catching up to me. Because I don't understand cooking, I want everything to be laid out for me. But it's a science, an art-form. And who can write down perfection?

Growing up is hard, but I'm learning. Cooking is just an avenue to feeling like a real adult. I just wish the DOT of life would smooth out the potholes.

Participation Please!

So at one of my placements, my coop teacher asked me if I had any book suggestions for her 7th-grade son. Now I have some, and I want to email my suggestions to her soon, but I would like to get some other input. These are what I have so far:

• Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
• Slam!
• Fallen Angels both by Walter Dean Myers (or anything by him)
• The Inheritance Series by Christopher Paolini
• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Monster Blood Tattoo series by D.M. Cornish
• The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
• A Wrinkle in Time series, especially Many Waters (male protagonists) by Madeleine L'Engle
• The Giver by Lois Lowry

That's what I have, but I would like some more. She said that she wanted books other than Harry Potter. I think he has already read them or was not interested.

Let me know what you think! Thanks!

Slightly Failing to Meet Expectations

So I know that I kinda failed at my "reading a book a week over break" goal. However, I did read quite a bit. More than some people might think healthy.

Not only did I finish Little Women and Foundling, I completed A Sweet and Bitter Providence by John Piper, and am about 10 pages from the end of Lamplighter, the second in the Monster Blood Tattoo series.

That's somewhere around 1090 pages. That's pretty good if I do say so myself.

Though I may not have finished all the reading I wanted to, I did read. And that soothes my soul to no end.

I'll post again soon with some wisdom about classes. Or some such nonsense.

Glory be to the one who created words! Praise God!

The Second Adventure

Actually, the title of this blog is a little misleading. The Foundling by D.M. Cornish was actually about the first adventure of the character Rossamund.

The story begins with Rossamund (yes, he is a boy) at the orphanage he was raised in. The reader immediately gets the sense that Rossamund is a little different. He is mocked because of his womanly name and his small size. Yet if one continues with him through the book, they will find that he is not helpless.

Rossamund's journey is far from peaceful, and he runs into many terrors, some monsters and some people. The monsters, nickers and bogles (large and small respectively), are the supposed terror within the Half Continent; however, Rossamund learns that one must not only be wary of the monsters.

I am amazed at this story. D.M. Cornish created an amazing world. This book has at least 100 pages of appendices. There is a glossary, or Explicarium as he calls it, that is extremely extensive, along with maps, explanations of clothing, gear, etc. Basically, if you don't understand something in the story, just look it up in the back. For the most part, he has a thorough explanation.

Just a note: this story does not contain magic. Though many abilities that appear may seem like magic, these monster-fighting tools only come about by special surgeries or potions, etc. Not believable, but very different and fascinating.

Battles with nickers and bogles and people riddle the pages; however, this story does take some getting into. It took me a while to actually enjoy this book completely. I realized, after really getting into it, this book is only the beginning. Yes, basically Foundling is the introduction to a much bigger story. To be able to understand what is going to happen, you must read it.

The second book is called Lamplighter. This story seemed to grab me a lot quicker than the first. Yet this may be because I had already read the first and know what D.M. Cornish can do.

Honestly, I would recommend this book. It is a good one, and I am moving quickly onto the second (which is much longer; hopefully I will finish it before school starts back up). Check it out, and if nothing else, marvel at the time and energy D.M. Cornish put into creating his world.

On to the Second

My second pick for Book of the Week(ish) is Foundling by D.M. Cornish.

I picked up this book for the second time last week; however, the first time I did not get very far. It is my goal to finish this tale this time.

A book about a boy named Rossamund, this story is extremely detailed. Cornish created a world almost as complex if not as complex as Tolkien's Middle Earth. The Half-Continent seems to be a world full of interesting mysteries, and as I read, I'm sure I will discover some of them.

So here goes! Off on another whirlwind adventure!

Hope your reading is exciting you as much as mine. Keep at it!

A Review and Praise for Alcott's Most Famous

So with about 80 pages left of Little Women, I settled into bed last night. It was a perfect way to end a day.

In the pages of Alcott's novel, I found little intrigue or conspiracy, but I found reality. However difficult the life, it was a peacefully simple one. I wonder about the complexity of our world today when I read books such as this, and I find myself desiring the more simple life. I know it was not easy or happy, and one had to work hard for everything they had, but it was less complicated in it's struggles. For the most part. And I am basing my analysis solely on books. I have no experience or anything...

There were so many moments in this book that I would like to relay, but I would also encourage you to read it if you have not already, so I will refrain from giving anything away.

Let's just say, I found a lot of myself in this book. It was very shocking and enlightening to see myself written on the page. I wish that I could always live in this world, coming back daily to the simplicity, if only to dream.

Fantastically written and honestly true, I would recommend this book to any and all. I am looking forward to reading the next in the series, Little Men, and then later, Jo's Boys.

O my girls, however long you may live, I never can wish you a greater happiness than this! (Alcott 669)

A Book a Week

I'm not sure that I have ever had a theme to my blog before, but I have resolved that over Christmas break, at least one blog a week will be devoted to a book. I have about 5 weeks for break, thus I will be writing on 5 books.

I started thinking about this last night, when I realized I have so many books I want to get through in 5 weeks. I need to be diligent and read quickly but thoroughly. And since I LOVE reading, it's not really a chore.

I have no plan for the books I want, though I've begun Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, so that will be the first.

I have a feeling it might turn out to be a review of sorts, but I will probably have multiple posts, all highlighting my favorite parts. I will have to post right after I read them of course, because I will not be able to contain my excitement.

While I start off on this journey, I would encourage you to read as well! Read my blog and see if your interest is piqued by any of the books I read or ask for a suggestion. I am more than willing to give recommendations!

So make some tea, sit by the fire, be warmed by the Christmas tree, and start a good book! You won't regret it. I know I never do.