Three Cups of Tea

This is a really good book. I had heard a lot about it, and finally took the time to read it. I couldn't put it down, and am completely fascinated by Greg Mortenson's work. While I admire what the co-author Relin was trying to do in adding background and poetic descriptions, they were a little distracting to me.

The story of Greg wandering into a tiny village in Northern Pakistan, making a promise to build a school, then going back to California and working hard and ultimately giving up his old life to make this happen is amazing. It is entertaining and captivating all by itself. I did appreciate the background into the different villages, religions, and nationalities, but I'm still confused.

However today as I read an article about refugees in Pakistan, I had a frame of reference. It wouldn't have caught my eye a week ago. But words like "Kalashnikov rifles," "Pushtan," and "Peshawar," now have meaning in my mind. That being said, the conflicts and poverty are very hard to comprehend.

More than any other book lately, I want to talk about this one. Luckily I know enough people who have read it. I'm having a hard time knowing what to post! So I'm going to resort to lists.

What I thought was AMAZING:

• How Greg Mortensen completely gave up his life of climbing to become a school builder. He didn't look back.
• The story of Greg meeting and marrying his wife is almost unbelievable, but very sweet.
• The hospitality of the Pakistani people. The way that they fix food and serve tea, then ask the questions.
• The timing of Greg's work is so incredible, that he was there before the "madrassas" were springing up all over the place.
• I love how his wife believes in him and has personally sacrificed so much for her husband to keep his work going.
• When Greg is able to go back and double the salaries of the men who have served so long and hard with him!

What was frustrating to me:

• It is always hard for me to keep characters and vocabulary that are in a foreign language straight when I read. I don't take notes the way I did in college, so there were times I would get characters confused.

• I'm still hung up on him not taking the government's money. He did it because he wanted to protect the people he worked with. Obviously, he can do more work without having to be accountable to or babysat by the US government. BUT, if the whole point is that increasing education opportunities is the best way to fight terrorism, the government is going to need inside help. The troops can't accomplish what Greg could, they wouldn't have the contacts, the experience, all that. SO this has caused me to think a lot about it. Reading a book like this, you start to think, it should be so simple. I know it's not, and I keep thinking of HOW things could be accomplished.

And again that's why this story is so amazing. Greg saw a need and then did everything he could to fix it. Over and over again. His dedication is totally inspiring.

I recommend this whole-heartedly. I've heard a few people saying it was too boring, and I think that's because some of the details and background might seem tedious. I was so fascinated by the character, and wanted to see what he would do next, that I read it pretty quickly.

Curse of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz

I was thrilled to discover that Lisa Lutz had written not one, but TWO more books about the Spellmans. I finished up the second one this weekend and was not disappointed. I'm not going to go into detail, because if you haven't read the first one it won't matter much.

I think this was just as good as the first one. I did actually figure out more of the mysteries, but they were still creative and suspenseful. Mostly I enjoy these books because they are funny, entertaining, and the characters are likable and well-developed. David plays a smaller role in this one, and there are some sad events.

One line I particularly liked,
"After my teeth cleaning and reminder of my all-around mediocrity, I needed a stiff drink."
I don't drink, but I could substitute "a stiff drink" with a fattening treat. Needless to say, I can relate.

Also the on going theme of the ex-Olympians cracked me up.

This time the book jacket describes Izzy as "part Bridget Jones, part Columbo."

I enjoyed this book, I recommend it (again, note that there is some interspersed swearing), and I'm equally stoked to read #3!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

I completely recommend this book!

I loved it. This story is told through letters between a writer in London and some friends that live on the island of Guernsey. It is not choppy at all, and the characters are endearing. Do I say that too much? It's such a huge enjoyment factor for me. My only complaint is that I had no idea the age of a few of the characters. Like was Elizabeth in her 40's or 20's? Dawsey, Isola, no idea.

My mom was telling me recently how she loved reading books that taught her about a different time and culture. I was thinking that I don't always love books like that. But THIS book gives a really good perspective of the aftermath of WWII. From several perspectives.

One thing I LOVED was that it does not gloss over the horrors these people faced in the war, but it doesn't dwell on them. Everyone is trying to find joy, and the book feels very hopeful. I think it is very successful in dealing with tragedy. It made me think of many aspects of war that, hopefully, I've never been exposed too.

Yet, it is not purely informative and historical. There is a rich story of Juliet, and her finding happiness. There is a nice romance or two! I love the blend of great old friends, and brand new friends that feel like kindred spirits.

I loved the voice and the style of this writer. I'm so sad to hear that she died. But how great, and in the spirit of the book, that her niece finished the process for her.

There are some great statements in this book:

"That's what i love about reading: one tiny thing will interest you in a book, and that tiny thing will lead you into another book, and another bit there will lead you onto a third book. It's geometrically progressive--all with no end in sight, and for no other reason than sheer enjoyment." I love this because that is why we read, for "enjoyment." And who hasn't been lead on a treasure hunt from one book to the other.

And going right along with that, "We clung to books and to our friends; they reminded us that we had another part to us." This is how I feel as a mother of young children. Lot's of my time is spend in the mundane, and doing things I'm not crazy about. Reading reminds me of my other self: who I used to be.

This book is funny, but doesn't try to be witty at every turn. After hearing of her friend's broken leg, she writes to his sister about her "tiny infant of an idea," and says, "In honor of Sidney's leg, I'm going to coddle it and feed it and see if I can make it grow." Hilarious.

I loved how the book unfolds in the letters through the simple statement, "I'll tell you a story about..."

From the author's Acknowledgements in the back, "I hope, too, that my book will illuminate my belief that love of art--be it poetry, storytelling, painting, sculpture, or music--enables people to transcend any barrier man has yet devised."

I kept hearing about and seeing this book. It's great, read it!

Updates on a few books....

So I haven't been reading as much. I got a new sewing machine, and I've been a sewing maniac.

I did finish the Griffin and Sabine books. I read them quick, and I did like them. Hayley I'm glad to hear you loved them. I think I liked the idea of the books more than the actual story. They are much more about the artwork, and mysticism, than about an actual story. That's how I felt. Especially the second trilogy. It got too mythological and symbolic for my taste. But still cool to look at.

I also read the final book of Ember. The Diamond of Darkhold. I really enjoyed it. I think it was a fitting end, and again, I really enjoy the characters of Lina and Doon. When I read The People of Sparks, I kept wanting someone to go back to Ember to salvage what they did have. Things just seemed so desperate. So I was glad to have that issue resolved in this novel. I give the whole series a thumbs up.

So I'll be reading again soon I'm sure.....thanks for not giving up on me!

The Spellman Files by, Lisa Lutz

This is a fun book. Thanks for the recommendation Alisha!

The book jacket compares it to Harriet the Spy, and Nancy Drew for grown-ups. I think its a fair comparison. The story is about a family of P.I.s. It's written from Izzy's 20-something perspective. She has case files, transcripts, and charming lists.

I enjoyed the style of the book, the spunky characters, and it has a couple of good mysteries too. The Spellmans are good mix of dysfunction and love. The details had me cracking up. For example, the tennis uniforms, paying the little sister, the tattoos. Good cover too.

I recommend this book! (Just a warning, there are a handful of f-words.)

Griffin and Sabine: An Extraordinary Correspondence by, Nick Bantock

This is a pretty little book. The story is told through postcards, and letters that you actually pull out of an envelope to read. Not all the artwork is pretty, but I love the idea of the book. The story is intriguing, but the entire book felt more like a chapter. SO I quickly put requests in for the other 5 books of the series. Hopefully they'll come in quick.

The basic summary is that an artist, Griffin, receives a postcard from a woman who lives on a tiny island. As they correspond, she explains that she can see his artwork as he creates it. Their letters draw you in, and I'm really excited to see where the story will go.

**As a side note, my anesthesiologist when I was in labor with Laney told me about these books. We were having a discussion about the names of my children. I was impressed that he had a literary reference for each of their names that I was unfamiliar with. Of course I don't remember what Delaney and Nolan were. I think they were authors. Its nice the conversation was good, because the epidural wasn't. It only took on one side, and someone had to come fix it, give me another shot of it, which resulted in cement leg on the left side for many hours. But I digress.....

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by, Muriel Barbery

Loved it. Absolutely. Thank you Graham for finding this gem. And thank you Wendy for reading it right before me and putting up with me talking about it so much on our trip. This book is French. It has been translated. Both of the main characters are endearing. I loved them, hence loved the book.

Paloma and Renee each have "the elegance of the hedgehog: on the outside, she's covered in quills, a real fortress, but my gut feeling is that on the inside, she has the same simple refinement as the hedgehog: a deceptively indolent little creature, fiercely solitary--and terribly elegant."
I took a lot of notes, I'll spare you most of them, but really I'd love to write them all up.
Here are a few that I really liked:

Madame Michel writes about her husband's last days, and going to a movie, "he had placed his trust in what we had said to each other without any need for words."
I love that, not just the point she is making, but the lovely way it is written.

Or, Paloma while visiting her grandma in a rest home, says, "I was ripe for despair. Then suddenly I remembered that I had decided to build and not destroy. I looked all around me for something positive," I love the dramatics of Paloma's emotions, because that's how we are as teenagers. Lots of things she said cracked me up.

"If you think about it carefully, there is nothing uglier than an open door." Renee is explaining why the Japanese sliding doors are so much better. And still talking about Japanese design, "Maybe we're all sick with this too much of everything."

I'll admit that there are times when Renee's philosophical musings begin to lose me. But enough of what she says is really good stuff, that I like her.

One more Paloma quote, "So when they sing a canon I look down at the ground because it's just too much emotion at once: it's too beautiful, and everyone singing together, this marvelous sharing."

That is one of the themes running in this book, noticing those pure moments of beauty.

I will state that the ending is not what I really wanted or expected. I won't say anymore. But it's still a great book.

I hope more of you will read it because this is totally in my top 10.

The Prophet of Yonwood

This is book #3 of the series. It is a prequel to City of Ember. It shows one small town 50 years before people went to live in the City of Ember. Nickie is 11, and she grows up to be the one that wrote the diary that Doon and Lina find on their way out.

I was a little concerned that this book was heading toward making fun of religion, you know false prophets, false hope, etc. But I think it is a good story to match the first two. It has a pretty happy ending too.

Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson

We read this book for bookclub this month, and I really liked it! It has a similiar feel to Little House on the Prairie, and These is My Words. But it takes place later, during World War I. The author, Kirby Larson, is from Kenmore! It won a Newberry Honor award, and is written for young adults, maybe even older elementary kids.

The author heard stories of her Great-grandma homesteading in Montana, and started researching. I think it is well-written, and has lots of interesting historical information, without sounding like a history book.

The characters were well developed. I loved the family of friends that Hattie found in Montana. Just a warning, this book made me cry. It could have been worse, but there are some SAD parts. I liked the character of Hattie, and her swift sincere prayers. There are some sweet magical moments.

I hope you'll read and enjoy this book.

PS. There are two recipes in the back. Aminda made Perilee's Wartime Spice Cake, and MMMMM it was good!

People of Sparks

This is the sequel to City of Ember, and I liked it just as much. I think it has some thought-provoking ideas about what leads to war, and choosing the right thing even if it is hard. But keep in mind that it is a children's book, so you've probably thought the thoughts before. I'm an adult and I still really enjoyed it. I do think you should read the books in order to thoroughly appreciate them.

When the two civilizations come together, it is interesting what is of value to each. What they have and what they need. A little bit of brain versus brawn, but it's more complicated than that.

I liked the symbolism of the weather. The season's changing, the wind bring change.

Doon and Lina emerge the heroes again. There are some interesting new characters. Over all I just think its a great book. Probably for 9 and up.

Some quotes:

"Being good is hard, much harder than being bad."

"You don't want to, but you do it anyway."

"He hadn't really imagined what fighting would be like."
(Again I really liked Doon's father's simple wisdom.)

"She had hoped that someone else might to do, so she wouldn't have to, but nobody did."