Three Books, One Topic

Hey!

Today, I'm sharing some wonderful reads: one is historical fiction and the other two are non-fiction.  Each of these books deals with the same subject but from different perspectives.  The subject: Leprosy/Hansen's Disease.

Of these books, I picked up The Colony first.  I was looking for more information about leprosy to add to a Sunday school lesson that I was preparing and while reading,  my heart broke for those suffering from this terrible disease.

Moloka'i and In the Sanctuary of Outcasts were book club reads that I thought were well written but give a different view.  Reading all three of these together would give such a depth of insight and knowledge about this terrible disease and how those who suffered from it have been treated.

Moloka'i

Alan Brennert

This story of hope and courage follows the life and struggles of a young girl sent to the Kalaupapa colony on Moloka'i after she contracts the disease.  For maximum appreciation, I think that I would start with this book before you read a non-fiction account.  I found that when I read it that I kept comparing it to The Colony and wanting to correct some of the author's liberties.

The Colony

John Tayman

For 103 years from 1866-1969, eight thousand people were forcibly removed from their homes to a peninsula on Moloka'i.  This disease does not distinguish between old and young and neither did the government.  They removed the young and the old from their homes, boarded them on a boat and forced them, in their weakened state, to swim for shore.  As they boarded the boats in Honolulu, the scene is described as

"a funeral in which the dead themselves walked." 

The disease was 

" the sickness that is a crime..."

The book follows the lives of the people exiled to Moloka'i and how they suffered, survived and formed a community.  Help comes in the form of a Roman Catholic priest, Father Damien.   He, along with others, served these people and tried to bring them a semblance of normalcy, hope and purpose. Through following the progression of the residents' illnesses and their lives, the book includes detailed facts about Hansens's Disease and the many treatments that were used.  Paul, a patient and resident, says,

"The more we suffer, the more strength we have.  The more suffering, the closer we are to one another.  Life is that way.  If you haven't suffered then you don't know what joy is.  The others may know something about joy, but those who have gone through hell and high water, I think they feel the joy deeper." 

In the Sanctuary of Outcasts
Neil White

Set in the leprosarium at Carville, LA, this true story tells of the author's incarceration served among the patients there.  Mr. White discovered himself while serving out his sentence among these patients.

"Finally in a sanctuary for outcasts, I understood the truth.  Surrounded by men and women who could not hide their disfigurement, I could see my own."

One of the patients that impacted the author in profound ways was Ella.  He says of her,

"But Ella carried her leprosy like a divine blessing.  She had faith that she would be healed in heaven.  She embraced the life she believed God had chosen for her on earth.  She has transcended the stigma that crippled so many."

I highly recommend all three books.  All three had a profound impact on my view of scripture, suffering and courageous hope.

Happy Reading!

Mimi

"The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured,

 the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor."  

Matthew 11:5  NIV Bible

Alligator Hunting and an August Recap

Hey!

Down here in the Deep South, August is typically a steamy month and this year hasn't disappointed.  Over the Labor Day weekend, some decided to beat the heat by going alligator hunting.   Apparently, the season has opened.  This alligator weighed in at a whopping 723.5 pounds only to be ousted out of the state record, an hour later, by a gator weighing in at 727 pounds and 13 feet 4-1/2 inches long.  Incredible!  To read more, click on the picture.

I hate to disappoint you... My weekend was not filled with gator hunting.  I did, however, finish Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear which has Maisie remembering the words of her mother about slaying your dragons.   I don't think an alligator is what she had in mind.

 What I've read for August:

• The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi

• The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clarke

• The Bone Bed by Patricia Cornwell

• Metamorposes by Ovid

• Twelve Ordinary Men by John MacArthur

• Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear

A strange mix of books, isn't it?!   In my defense, some were for book club.   Pardonable Lies was my favorite for the month.

 

What I've watched:

The month of August, Honey Do and I caught the Downton Abbey fever and devoured seasons 1-3.  We have also been glued on Tuesday nights watching  So You Think You Can Dance.  I never cease to be amazed by the talent people possess.  The last couple of weeks have had particularly good routines.
We saw Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters and The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones.  In our estimation, neither will win major awards but they were entertaining.

By far the biggest projects this month:

• Reupholstering my loveseat

• Launch of my new online bible study ministry, Sweeter Than Honey Ministry

I wonder, what September will have in store??

Blessings,

Mimi

"Since no man knows the future, who can tell him what is to come?"  

Ecclesiastes 8:7  NIV Bible

Books by the Bed

Hey!

I'm hoping to do a little reading over the holiday weekend.  I know I won't get all of this read but I have these choices by my bed.

How about you?  What are you reading?

Happy Labor Day!

Blessings,

Mimi

"By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work."  Genesis 2:2  NIV Bible

Book Day: Thirteen Reasons Why

Hey!

Summer is usually the time that I choose to read books with lighter drama or with adventure.  Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher would not have been my typical choice but I'm so glad I read it!

Our hostess for book club this month picked it out.  She used the book for a unit she taught at school.  When we asked her about the unit and how the kids liked the book, I loved her response.  She said that the experience with her students was what every teacher dreams of having. 

Thirteen Reasons Why

Jay Asher

This book has received many awards and is set to be made into a movie starring Selena Gomez.   She wasn't the image I had in my mind when I read the book but ...

The premise: Hannah Baker has died.  She committed suicide, but before she did, she made  seven tapes that contain a message to thirteen people.  These people, she believes, contributed in some way to her decision.  Hannah instructs the first person who receives the tapes in the mail to listen to all of them and then when they are done to pass on the tapes to the next person after them.  

I know, the story seems morbid, but I couldn't put the book down.  I wanted to know her reasons.  Why did she do it?  What was so awful in her life that she didn't seek help from an adult in her life?  What had those thirteen people done?  Clay is one of the recipients of the tapes and the story is told through his voice and through Hannah's as he listens through the tapes.

One of the overriding messages of the book is how our actions affect others, both good and bad.   Be forewarned: The book does delve into other issues such as bullying, rumors, lies, and abuse.

I'm really looking forward to discussion at book club.  If you've read it, let me know what you thought.  I'd love to hear from you!

Blessings,

Mimi

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the 

first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself."  

Matthew 22:37-39  NIV Bible

Book Day: The Shoemaker's Wife

Book Day

Hey!

Inspired by the true love story of her grandparents, Ms. Trigiani has written a charming epic set in the first half of the twentieth century.   An interesting tidbit: the book's beautiful cover was originally featured in the 1949 issue of Harper's Bazaar.

The Shoemaker's Wife

Adriana Trigiani

 

Ciro Lazzari and his brother, Eduardo are raised by nuns in the Northern Alps of Italy.  Their mother leaves them in their care as young boys following the death of their father.  Enza Ravanelli is raised in a loving but poor family.  Her mother tends to the family and her father transports passengers by cart up and down the mountain.  Enza's father was, in fact, the man who transported Signora Caterina Lazzari and her young sons to the convent.  As teenagers, Enza and Ciro meet for the first time when her beloved youngest sister, Stella dies.  Ciro is the young man charged with digging her grave.  From that day forward, their lives are forever changed. 

"When he thought of Enza, he didn't imagine her lips, her eyes or her hands.  Rather, he saw her in full standing before him in the blue night air, every aspect of her beauty revealed in the light."

Their budding friendship is short circuited by circumstances when Ciro is banished and leaves for America to become a shoemaker's apprentice.  Following his departure, difficulties also arise in the Ravanelli household and Enza emigrates with her father to America in search of money to save the family.

Enza and Ciro are like ships that pass in the night as their lives intersect throughout the years.  Each pursues the American dream in his/her own way.  Ciro becomes established in the Zanetti Shoe Shop while Enza, eventually, enjoys success as a seamstress for the Metropolitan Opera House. 
At the  moment when the star-crossed pair seem likely to reunite and be together, events shift and Ciro leaves to serve his adopted country in World War I.   He returns from that war changed and more focused.

"The complete chaos of war had helped him think clearly and to define life for himself in a plain way.  It was either yes or no, life or death, love or loneliness.  War had taught him that everything was absolute.  So he too began to think like a general even when it came to his own heart. "

Enza, too, is faced with critical choices about her future.  She must decide if destiny has conspired to keep Ciro in her life forever or follow an entirely different path.  

"But Enza thought that was the nature of love to catch you unaware and play the notes of your past in a haunting melody over and over again until you believe it is your aria, your future too. "

Themes of love, loss, war, courage, hardship and family are woven throughout this book that create a wonderful tapestry of life.  I, truly, enjoyed engaging in the journey and experiencing life as an immigrant vicariously through Ms. Trigiani's words.

Blessings,

Mimi

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content 

in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."  

Philippians 4:12 NIV Bible

Books 2013

Books 2013

Hey!

44 ----- The number of books I read in 2012.  

My goal for 2013 is to read 50 books.  I'm planning to read 12 from my Already Own shelf, do you have one of those??  I also want to vary the genres and read some classics. 

If you'd like to see what I read last year or the books I featured in my 31 Day Challenge,  click on the books tab at the top of my blog or click here. 

My list for 2013 

Already Read in 2013:

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin

A Modern Girl's Guide to Bible Study  by Jen Hatmaker

Divergence  by Veronica Roth

Free Four by Veronica Roth

State of Wonder by Ann Patchet

Inspired You by Marian Parsons

Working on: 

Aenid by Virgil

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

Book Club Choices to Read:
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
How to be an American Housewife by Margaret Dilloway
Run Away by Jeanhee Kang 
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
The Shoemaker's Wife by Adrianna Triganni
Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver
The Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesy
Metamorphosis by Ovid
Confessions by St. Augustine
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
 
Hopefuls:
Insurgence by Veronica Roth
Seven by Jen Hatmaker
Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker
Sandstorm by James Rollins
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
The Faith Club: A Muslim, A Christian, A Jew  Three Women Search for Understanding by Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver, and Priscilla Warner
Delta Wedding by Eudora Welty
Possession by A.S. Byatt 
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
The Skin Map by Stephen Lawhead
Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott
An Irish Country Doctor by Patrick Taylor 
And many more..... 
 

Are you still craving more???

*Bookmarks magazine is a wonderful source for book ideas.  

*Goodreads is a popular book site for people who love reading.  I'd love to "friend " you .  Just click on the Goodreads icon on my sidebar or click here.

*Sheila at The Deliberate Reader has a continuous supply of good choices. Check her out here.

*Shannon at Giraffedays has an Around the World Book challenge here.
 * Sarah at All manner of Inspiration has her list up for view here.

* Edie hosts an online book club at Life in Grace.  Click to check out the Classics Book Club here

What are you reading????

Wish me luck to reach my goal this year!
Blessings,

Mimi

"...and the books were opened."  

Daniel 7:10 NIV Bible

The Art of the Handwritten Note

What to do??

Hey!

For a couple of days now, we've had rain.  My boots have been a permanent fixture by the back door because every time I go out I need to wear them.  My yard is soooooo saturated.  We've already had 5.5 inches and the forecast is more to come.   Last night, Honey do dumped the pool because the water was topping the edge.   I'm not a fan of the cold, dreary grayness of winter rain --- makes me feel depressed and bored.

So, what to do?  Other than take a nap and read a book which I've already done, I think I need to write thank you notes.  I'm a little late in sending them but I think everyone appreciates a nice REAL letter no matter when it arrives.  I think my procrastination started because I never knew what to write or what to say.  Then, I found this book many years ago.

 

This small concise book covers all your needs: thank yous, apologies, death, congratulations.  Ms. Shepherd also gives a basic recipe for writing any note, sample phrasings, ways to improve your handwriting and tips about ink and paper.  In addition, she gives nine reasons why we should write by hand. One of the most meaningful reasons is that a handwritten note endures and can be held and read over and over again.  

"Writing is the best way to put into words what is in your mind and your heart."

Do you remember the joy you felt the first time a letter or card came in the mailbox addressed just to you?   Reclaim that joy for yourself and others!

Now, if I can only get past the procrastination....

Blessings,

Mimi

"You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody." 

 2 Corinthians 3:2  NIV Bible

Book and Movie Day: A Christmas Carol

Book Day: Christmas Edition

Hey!

"Marley was dead: to begin with."  What a great beginning to a wonderful staple of Christmas at our house.   A Christmas Carol  was first published in 1843 and has never been out of print.

A Christmas Carol 

 Charles Dickens

 

I finally read the book a few years ago but I've always enjoyed the movie versions.  My favorite movie versions are "The Muppet's Christmas Carol" and the version in which George C. Scott  stars as Ebeneezer Scrooge.   By unanimous vote at our house, the Ghost of Christmas Future creeps us out, no matter what version.

" Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grind-stone Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner"

I just love the way that list of adjectives describing Scrooge's character rolls off the tongue.  Even though I hate to admit it,  I can identify areas of my life where I've emulated a "scrooge" style habit.  Oh, that I would learn from the lessons like Scrooge did and keep the spirit of Christmas in my heart.

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach. Oh, tell me I may sponge away the writing on this stone!"

"it was always said of (Scrooge) that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge.  May that be truly said of us, and all of us!  And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!"

My friend, Katie, also has a lovely line posted here

Blessings to you,

Mimi

"Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice." 

 Psalm 112:5 NIV Bible

image from "The Muppets Christmas Carol"

Book Day: A Redbird Christmas

Book Day : Christmas Edition

A Redbird Christmas

Fannie Flagg

 

Hey!

Oswald T. Campbell is a man in need of a new start and a miracle when he arrives in the town of Lost River, a place where neighbors are friends.  Patsy is a little girl in need of a miracle too when she comes to town and develops a friendship with the postman's pet redbird named Jack.  

How will Oswald, Patsy and Jack play a part in the miracles to be seen in the town of Lost River?  You'll just have to read to find out!

 A Redbird Christmas is a heartwarming story about faith, hope, friendship and miracles.  Sweet without being too sugary, this story is the perfect blend and showcases Fannie Flagg's gift of down-home storytelling.

And remember:

" DON'T LET THE BIRD OUT!

DON'T LET THE CAT IN!"

I'll be showcasing a new book each week up till Christmas.
I hope you'll come back and visit!

Blessings,

Mimi

"This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee.  

He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him."  

John 1:11  NIV Bible

Cloud Atlas: A Book and A Movie

A Book and A Movie

Hey!

When you get to the end of the first chapter and it ends mid-sentence --- Don't Panic!  You were not sold a faulty book like I originally thought because the sentence in question picks up in the last chapter.  This clever device is one of many that form David Mitchell's, Cloud Atlas into a masterfully created story. 

Cloud Atlas

David Mitchell

 The first 6 chapters of the book tell the stories of 6 different people.  The settings are different, the point in time is different, the style of writing is different and the vocabulary the author chooses to use is different.  The remaining 6 chapters pick up the tales of the characters in reverse order.  Think of it this way-- 1-2-3-4-5-6-5-4-3-2-1.    Each story could be a stand alone but watching how they tie together is wonderfully clever and unique. 

This book is filled with topics to discuss for a book club which is one of the reasons I chose it for my book club pick this month and the fact that the book is just downright good.
I have to confess that I had to pull out a dictionary during the first chapter because some of the words I had never seen nor heard.   I did find a nice interview where David Mitchell talks about writing and and the use of words click here

Honey Do and I saw the movie version this week.  The movie differs from the book but overall I felt the story was conveyed right.  We both really enjoyed it but be warned --- the movie is 3 hours long!! The movie also contains some nudity, language, a few grisly scenes and adult themes.  Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Susan Sarandon, Hugh Grant, and Hugo Weaving are some of the actors in the movie version.

If you've read the book or seen the movie, I'd love to hear what you thought!

 Blessings,

Mimi

 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything 

that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." 

 Hebrews 12:1 NIV Bible

If you would like to read about other books I've reviewed,  click here 

Bonus Book of 31 Days of Books Off My Shelf

Bonus Book

Hey! 

I'm so glad to be able to share with you today the book that has had the most profound effect on my life.  Although I do occasionally help with beauty pageant winners in interview, I assure you this choice of book for me is not to win a sparkling earthly crown.  This book is dangerous and the words within it have the power to change and transform a life.

I became a Christian as a child but I was in my early 30's before I discovered a love for Bible study.  Before I began really studying Scripture,  I tried to follow God and do the right things but I really didn't know much about God or how He felt about anything.

I felt that the Christian life had to be more than what I was experiencing.   I noticed that some women loved to read the Bible and could quote it and found such strength in it and quite frankly, I couldn't figure out what was so special.  I mean I knew it was supposed to be but I had a hard time finding the Bible to be interesting or easy to understand.  I wanted to be like those ladies though.  So one day over 17 years ago, I asked God to help me love His word and to know it and He began to answer that request.

Since that time, I have seen a change in my life in how I respond to others and situations.  I still don't always make right choices or love others like I should but the journey of faith is one of daily sanctification and daily steps and now, unlike before, I have the right tools to help me.
Bible study saved me because I was drowning from trying so hard and now, I try to help others by teaching Bible study.

I wanted to share this book in the hope that if you know about it but haven't really studied it that you will find a local Bible study and enter into a great adventure and also, for those that might never have heard of this book to consider picking it up and reading it.  The Bible is actually 66 individual books that have been placed into a book together.   The texts are filled with action, adventure, intrigue, but above all, the words are a love story.  Not sure where to start?--- I'd start with The Gospel of John.

Thank you so much for following my posts over the last 31 Days!  I hope that you will come back often, say hi and see what I've been up to : )

Blessings,

Mimi

"For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son,  that 
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."  
John 3:16  NIV Bible

If you'd like to catch up on all of my 31 Day Book posts, click here.

Day 31 of 31 Days of Books Off My Shelf

Day 31

Hey!

When I was in third grade, I had a teacher who loved to read us poetry.  She read this poem to us for Halloween that year so I thought I would share it with you.   Written in 1885 and originally entitled, "The Elf Child", this poem was inspired by a young girl who came to live at the Riley home following her father's death.  The poem can be found in this book along with many other familiar poems by well known poets such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, and Edward Lear to name a few.

Favorite Poems Old and New

Selected by Helen Ferris

 

LITTLE ORPHANT ANNIE

by James Whitcomb Riley

Little Orphant Annie's come to our house to stay,

An' wash the cups an' saucers up, an' brush the crumbs away,

An' shoo the chickens off the porch, an' dust the hearth, an' sweep,

An' make the fire, an' bake the bread, an' earn her board-an'-keep;

An' all us other children, when the supper-things is done,

We set around the kitchen fire an' has the mostest fun

A-list'nin' to the witch-tales 'at Annie tells about,

An' the Gobble-uns 'at gits you

Ef you

Don't

Watch

Out!

Onc't they was a little boy wouldn't say his prayers,--

An' when he went to bed at night, away up-stairs,

His Mammy heerd him holler, an' his Daddy heerd him bawl,

An' when they turn't the kivvers down, he wasn't there at all!

An' they seeked him in the rafter-room, an' cubby-hole, an' press,

An' seeked him up the chimbly-flue, an' ever'-wheres, I guess;

But all they ever found was thist his pants an' roundabout:--

An' the Gobble-uns 'll git you

Ef you

Don't

Watch

Out!

An' one time a little girl 'ud allus laugh an' grin,

An' make fun of ever' one, an' all her blood-an'-kin;

An' onc't, when they was "company," an' ole folks was there,

She mocked 'em an' shocked 'em, an' said she didn't care!

An' thist as she kicked her heels, an' turn't to run an' hide,

They was two great big Black Things a-standin' by her side,

An' they snatched her through the ceilin' 'fore she knowed what she's about!

An' the Gobble-uns 'll git you

Ef you

Don't

Watch

Out!

An' little Orphant Annie says, when the blaze is blue,

An' the lamp-wick sputters, an' the wind goes woo-oo!

An' you hear the crickets quit, an' the moon is gray,

An' the lightnin'-bugs in dew is all squenched away,--

You better mind yer parents, an' yer teachers fond an' dear,

An' churish them 'at loves you, an' dry the orphant's tear,

An' he'p the pore an' needy ones 'at clusters all about,

Er the Gobble-uns 'll git you

Ef you

Don't

Watch

Out!

Thank you for joining me for these past 31 days!  I've loved your comments and you being here.   Tomorrow, I'm going to be featuring a Bonus Book.   I really hope you'll come back to see the book that has had the most impact on my life.  Until then if you'd like to catch up on all of my 31 Day Book posts, click here.

 Happy Reading!

Mimi

"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."  
John 14:18  NIV Bible

Day 30 of 31 Days of Books Off My Shelf

Day 30

Hey!

Wow!  The month has gone by quickly and I have so many more books I would love to share.  I'm thinking of making a book post a regular feature in addition to other things.  What do you think??

Love Walked In 

Marisa De Los Santos

 

Told in alternating voices, the story is first narrated by Cornelia, a young woman who has a passion for  classic movies and a budding relationship with a man named Martin.

 "Maybe love comes in at the eyes, but not nearly as much as it comes in at the ears, at least 

in my experience.  As we talked, lights flicked on inside my head; by the end of the night, 

I was a planetarium."

 

Clare, an 11 year old child of divorced parents also narrates this story.  She has been estranged from her father, Martin until the day he learns her mother has had a breakdown and she has been left to care for herself.  Through life's twists and turns, Clare and Cornelia form an unlikely friendship and bond.

 "There's a kind of holiness to love, requited or not, and those people who 

don't receive it with gratitude are arrogant beyond saving."

 A sweet debut novel about love, home and the need to be needed by another.

I thank you for coming by each day of this month to read about some of the books off my shelf.  I hope you'll join me on Thursday, November 1st for a Bonus Book !!! 

Also, my thoughts and prayers are with all of y'all that have been affected by Sandy : )

Happy Reading!

Mimi

 "And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands.  As you have heard from the beginning, 

his command is that you walk in love."    2 John 6  NIV Bible

Click here if you're interested in seeing all of my 31 Day posts from the beginning

Day 29 of 31 Days of Books off my Shelf

Day 29

Hey!

When I heard another book was written about racial issues in Mississippi I cringed and began to get defensive in my spirit.  I was concerned about how this native daughter might portray her home.   Ms. Stockett writes in her comments,

""The rash of negative accounts about Mississippi, in the movies, in the papers, on television, have made us natives a wary, defensive bunch.  We are full of pride and shame, but mostly pride."

The Help 

 Kathryn Stockett

Set in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960's,  Aibileen works as a maid for the Leefolt family.  She is befriended by one of her employer's friends, Miss Skeeter.  Skeeter is a well to do young woman,  recently graduated from Ole Miss, who has a passion for writing and has the idea to write a book that features the experiences of the black women who serve as the help to white families.  Skeeter convinces Aibileen and several others to share their stories. 

"Wasn't that the point of the book?  For women to realize, we are just two people.  

Not that much separates us.  Not nearly as much as I thought.""

I think one of the ways the author showed great care in writing about her home is in how she chose to write dialect.  Quite often, writers will use a gimmicky phonetic form for the dialect of a Southerner.  Ms. Stockett, however, achieved a real and authentic sound by her word choice and use of word placement and created the smooth rich lilt of the Central Mississippi dialect.

As Mississippians, we own our ugly past but we also own a bright present and future.  The Help graciously shows that hope and that people can move beyond the color of someone's skin.

Happy Reading!

Mimi

"If one falls down, his friend can help him up.  But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!"  
Ecclesiastes 4:10  NIV Bible

Day 28 of 31 Days of Books off my Shelf

Day 28

Hey!

Today, I'm sharing with you two of my favorite books about the craft of writing.

Bird by Bird inspired me to start writing again.  During college, I wearied of writing after so many English assignments which was my major.  I dabbled off and on but mostly, I didn't do it.  I struggled with the process.  Anne Lamott's honesty about her own struggles made me realize I wasn't very different in my battle to put pen to paper.

“Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere.”

Bird by Bird
Anne Lamott

On Writing Well was a required reading for a college writing class.  The main emphasis of this book is nonfiction writing. What struck me most about this book was the discovery that a textbook could be written in a way that was actually enjoyable to read!

“But the secret of good writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest components… 

clear thinking becomes clear writing.”

On Writing Well
William Zinsser

Happy Reading!

Mimi

"The LORD said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give 

you the tablets of stone, with the law and commands I have written for their instruction."" 

Exodus 24:12 NIV Bible

Want to catch up on all of my 31 Day posts about books? Click here

Day 27 of 31 Days of Books off my Shelf

Day 27

Hey!

This historical fiction story set in London during the 1930's is a nice blend of drama and mystery.  

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

Maisie is a sharp, independent young woman who serves as a housemaid.  Her employers recognize these qualities in her and through their encouragement and financial support  Maisie pursues her education.  When World War 1 breaks out, Maisie enlists to serve as a nurse.   After the war, Maisie takes over her mentor's private investigation agency.

“Truth walks toward us on the paths of our questions," Maurice's voice once again echoed in her mind. "As soon as you think you have the answer, you have closed the path and may miss vital new information. Wait awhile in the stillness, and do not rush to conclusions, no matter how uncomfortable the unknowing.”

Maisie's first case seems to be a simple one of proving infidelity but turns out to be much more and involves Maisie's own past.

Happy Reading!

Mimi

"... "Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings 

and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.""  

Daniel 2:47  NIV Bible

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Day 26 of 31 Days of Books off my Shelf

Day 26

Hey!

If you don't live here in Mississippi, you probably aren't familiar with this one.  
But trust me, it's good : )

Bell's Best Cookbook (volume 1)

Published in 1981  and reprinted 29 times by the Mississippi AT&T Pioneers Chapter.
This cookbook is their best seller and is still in print. 

Here's my copy.... just keeping it real!  As you can tell I've used it a few times : )

I've included one of my family's favorite desserts.  Very yummy!!

Mississippi Mud Cake  (Bell's Best   recipe from Joan Hairston)
1 cup Wesson oil                                       1 1/2 cup of self-rising flour
1/3 cup cocoa                                           2 teaspoons of vanilla
4 whole eggs                                            2 cups of chopped nuts,  (I like pecans)
1 3/4 cup of sugar

Mix ingredients and bake in oblong cake pan at 300 for 30-45 minutes.  Cover with small marshmallows when removed from the hot oven.
Icing:
1 1/2 sticks margarine                             1/3 cup of cocoa
1 Tablespoon vanilla                               1/2 cup of Pet milk
1 box of powdered sugar                         1/2 cup chopped nuts  (pecans!)

Mix all ingredients well.  DO NOT COOK.  Pour over cake while still warm.  

Happy Reading and Cooking !

Mimi

"Taste and see that the LORD is good.." 

Psalm 34:8  NIV Bible

Over 1200 bloggers joined the 31 Day Challenge, check them out here!

Day 25 of 31 Days of Books off my Shelf

Day 25

Hey!

Sorry for the delay in posting a book today... I am still having computer problems accessing my dashboard with my blogger site.  Is anybody else having similar problems?  

84 Charing Cross Road 
 Helene Hanff

84 Charing Cross Road is a delightful tale of friendship that evolves via correspondence over a 20 year period  between freelance New York writer Helene Hanff and secondhand book dealer Frank Doel in London.   Their friendship spanned from 1949-1969. 

Of books, Helene writes,

"I shall sprinkle pale pencil marks through it pointing out the 

best passages to some book lover yet unborn."

I'm one of those people who *gasp* underlines and writes in their books.  Most books get this treatment though not all.  In fact, one of my friends and I have been known to share a book and share the comments in the side margins.  I know... rather dorky and strange : )  Perhaps that's why I like the above quote so much.

When we share a book we've loved, don't you think in essence we're sharing a little part of ourselves, making ourselves vulnerable in the hopes that the other person will love those quotes and that book as much as we did?

What are your thoughts??  I would love to hear them and what book you would love to share with me!

Happy Reading!

Mimi

"You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody."  
2 Corinthians 3:2  NIV Bible

Over 1200 bloggers joined the 31 Day Challenge, check them out here!

Day 24 of 31 Days of Books off my Shelf

Day 24

Hey!

When my son was in middle school, we discovered this book together and thoroughly enjoyed it.  The story was originally written for the children at the Liverpool Royal School for the Blind.

Redwall 

Brian Jacques

Redwall  Abbey is a place of peace and charity but an evil one eyed rat named Cluny the Scourge and his followers have decided to attack since the monastery refuses to surrender.  Matthias, a mouse and novice in training believes, along with the "good" woodland animals, that in order to fend off Cluny and save the Abbey, the sword of Martin the Warrior must be found.   They locate a clue to the sword's whereabouts beneath the Great Hall tapestry.

Who says that I am dead

Knows nought at all.

I - am that is,

Two mice within Redwall.

The Warrior sleeps

‘Twixt Hall and Cavern Hole.

I - am that is,

Take on my mighty role.

Look for the sword

In moonlight streaming forth,

At night when day’s first hour

Reflects the North.

From o’er the threshold

Seek and you will see;

I - am that is,

My sword will wield for me."

Matthias and his friends set out on the quest to save their Abbey and take the reader on a wonderful adventure.  Since the book was written for blind children, Mr. Jacques paid close attention to his descriptions to help the children "see" the story in their minds.  The descriptions of the feasts, in particular, made my mouth salivate : )

“In our imaginations we can go anywhere. Travel with 
me to Redwall in Mossflower country.” Brian Jacques

Happy Reading!

Mimi

"The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good."  

Proverbs 15:3  NIV Bible

Day 23 of 31 Days of Books off my Shelf

Day 23

Hey!

Nevada Barr used to live in my hometown and I would see her out and about running errands.  I always felt tongue tied when I saw her ---a real author!  But, I got a chance to meet her at a book signing and she was very nice but I was still tongue tied!!

Track of the Cat 

 Nevada Barr

Anna Pigeon left New York City following the accidental death of her husband in search of change in her life.  That change led her to the Guadalupe Mountains National Park in west Texas where she serves as a law enforcement ranger with the National Park Service.

"Every spring and fall rangers in the Guadalupe Mountains followed paths through the high country chosen by wildlife biologists.  These transects--carefully selected trails cutting across the park's wilderness--were searched for mountain lion sign."

Anna has been out searching but instead of a lion she stumbles upon a Park ranger that has been killed of an apparent mountain lion attack but something looks suspicious.

"Anna listed the absurdities. "When is a Lion not a Lion?" she said aloud, putting her confusion into riddle formula.  When it's dead, she thought, and that's what this lion --or some lion--will be if the hunt's not stopped.  Again she looked at the slides.  She was not mistaken.  

Proof... Proof there was something fishy about the Drury Lion Kill."

Anna sets out to determine who did it and why. 

Track of the Cat  won the Agatha and the Anthony awards in 1993 for a first time mystery.  The popularity of this mystery and the very capable Anna Pigeon has led to many other novels set in America's National Parks.

Happy Reading!

Mimi

"You shall not murder." 

 Exodus 20:13  NIV Bible

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