Christ is born!
Hello all you people reading this post. It's the last day of December, and subsequently the last day of two thousand and twenty one. This year went by even faster than the year before, gosh darn it. I am pleased to say that our neighborhood and the woods around us did actually look like that picture up there for a few days. In a very unusual fit of cold weather for western Washington (especially the coast), Christmas day and the following two or three days were blessed with heavy snowfall. We had some wild times driving back from church and our friends' house in the dark and snow and ice, but it was totally worth it. I love snow so much. It's melting now, but we'll probably get more in January and February, which is when it usually snows out here. Anyway, I wanted to do a list of all the books I've read this year, but I also want to comment on each one so I figured that would make this too long a post. In a sad but necessary compromise, I have decided to merely list the books I have read this autumn and winter. I was pretty busy, so the list isn't as long as it would be for last winter and spring. Without further ado, on to the books! →
~ September ~
1. The Walk West: A Walk Across America 2 by Peter and Barbara Jenkins
This is an autobiographical sequel to A Walk Across America by Peter Jenkins. Mr. Jenkins was a fellow living in the 1970's who decided he didn't know much about America, his own country, at all, so he decides to walk across it. Much excitement and gathering of knowledge follows. His wife joins him on his walk west to the Pacific ocean in the second book. They're both very good and I encourage anyone interested in the USA to read them. I think the bit about Lousiana was the most interesting, mostly because of the alligators, mosquitoes, and honest to goodness witchcraft. Very creepy and exciting.
2. The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald
This was a delightful book. It's a story about a young princess named Irene, so obviously I like it. This princess is never allowed to go out at night because the local goblins have a vendetta against the royal family and would take her away to do who-knows-what. The goblins are hatching a plan to kidnap the royal princess, but their plan is discovered by a young boy named Curdie, who is incredibly brave and awesome. This book is quite deep, but also a children's story, which I rather enjoy. Geroge MacDonald has a sense of humor similar to C.S. Lewis, which tickles me greatly.
3. The Outsider by Irene Cleaton
So I got this book at a garage sale 'cause it had a nice green hardback cover and the author was called Irene. Really people, don't judge a book by its cover. It started out promising. A young lady is in 19th century Scotland and the opening promises a murder to be solved. Well there is a murder, but the book is absolutely terrible lol. I think this is like the first or second honest to goodness dime novel I've ever read. Cheap melodramatic trash, but I read the whole thing through. There is absolutely nothing likable about any of the characters, and to add to that, the heroine is always fainting, feeling sorry for herself, and falling in love with men she thinks are murderers, merely because they are physically attractive and have a bad boy kind of appeal to them. I laughed a lot, but I wouldn't recommend you read this book. It's a waste of your time.
4. The Fool of New York City by Michael O'Brien
GAHHHHH. This book guys. It's beautiful. After reading Ms. Cleaton's sad excuse for a novel, the Fool of New York City was a breath of fresh air. It's about a young man with amnesia who thinks he is a famous Spanish painter. He is taken care of by an incredibly tall fellow, a veritable freak, in New York City. We don't know why he has amnesia, but it's clear to see something terrible happened in the past. Like I said, a beautiful, heart-rending book. You should definitely read it.
5. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
What can I say? This is a great mystery, but you already know that. The premise of a giant, cursed, luminous hound haunting the moors and murdering people is bound to invite excitement and the great detective Sherlock Holmes to the scene. My friend told me to read this (because I foolishly had not before) and I really enjoyed it. A good show indeed.
~ October ~
6. The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
A mini book review medium is not the place to discuss Tolkien. I need days, weeks, months, years. But honestly guys, if it's been awhile since you've picked up the Lord of the Rings, like it had been for me, don't hesitate. You need this in your life. I was watching the movies with my dad and then realized I couldn't remember what parts were directly from the book and what sections had been left out, and so on and so on, and it frightened me. What kind of a Tolkien fan was I??? I love the chapter called The Shadow of the Past. Haunting indeed.
7. The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck
I read this book for a little book club I have with a couple of my sisters and it was super duper good. It's quite short, but masterfully written. Even if you don't like what John Steinbeck writes about, you have to admit his ability to observe and write out human behavior is amazing. The book is about a small town in World War II occupied by the Nazis. We never learn what country it is in. The town's people are initally and apparently subdued by their conquerers, but this state of affairs doesn't last long. The peasants start to retaliate against the Germans and things get spicy. Like most books and movies about totalitarian governments, this book is extremely relevant to right now, in this country. Take notes guys.
8. The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien
After my hiatus from the Lord of the Rings due to my book club, I returned for the second installment of this glorious series. The Two Towers has Helm's Deep and Eomer and the Rohirrim and all, which makes it a little better than the first book I think, but still not my favorite. We'll come to that one in a second.
~ November ~
9. Father Elijah by Michael O'Brien
Golly gee. This is another book my sisters and I read for book club and it is staggeringly amazing. It's an apocalyptic, spiritual, supernatural, cloak and dagger, politcally intriguing, religious kind of thriller. Father Elijah is an aging monk who is called to the Vatican by the Pope himself. There is a famous politican entering the world stage, a powerful speaker who seems to be merely concerned with peace on earth and good will towards Men, but the pope suspects a more menacing motivation behind his apparent altruisim. He asks Fr. Elijah to arrange a meeting with the man in which he can plead with him to save his soul before it is too late. This book is complex and absolutely riveting, both in a more typical spy sense (assasinations, suspicious men following you, sneaking into high security areas) and in a psychological and spiritual sense. You should totally read it.
10. The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
This is my favorite book of the trilogy. When you finish it you will be emotionaly exhausted. In the past, I wasn't sure how I felt about the Scouring of the Shire, the chapter in which Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin return home only to find their precious Shire taken over by wicked men and foolish hobbits. It seemed like all the danger and death was over with the destruction of the ring and all, and I guess I just felt as tired of this as the hobbits, but this time I loved that chapter. It really belongs. I know it will surprise you to hear this, but Tolkien knew what he was doing. A smart dude, no doubt about that.
~ December ~
11. The Golden Princess and the Moon by Anna Maria Mendell
I wrote a long review about this book here. I have read it many times and it's still one of my favorite works of literature.
12. Secret of Ron Mor Skerry by Rosalie K. Fry
This is a Scottish tale told of a little girl living by the ocean with her grandparents near an island where her younger brother Jamie was stolen from years ago. Stolen by the ocean, but not dead. At least Fiona won't believe he's dead, and as she's seen a little boy riding the waves in a little boat resembling a cradle she has substantial proof to support her hope in him being alive. This book was made into a movie, only the movie is Irish instead of Scottish. It is called The Secret of Roan Inish. Both the book and the movie are haunting and magical, the movie a little more so I would say.
13. Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody
Father and I Were Ranchers is the first book in a series (called Little Britches) telling the real life story of Ralph Moody and his family's life in early 1900's Colorado. It's wonderful. Ralph Moody tells his story simply and entertainingly. What early American pioneers went through and withstood, all while never losing their spirits, is incredible. I laughed, I cried, I sighed with happiness. I recommend the book and its successors wholeheartedly.
There you have it folks! Only thirteen books in four months is pretty lame, but I shall endeavor to do better in the future! I hope you enjoy the rest of the twelve days of Christmas and may God be with you in the oncoming year. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
~ Irene
Golly gee. This is another book my sisters and I read for book club and it is staggeringly amazing. It's an apocalyptic, spiritual, supernatural, cloak and dagger, politcally intriguing, religious kind of thriller. Father Elijah is an aging monk who is called to the Vatican by the Pope himself. There is a famous politican entering the world stage, a powerful speaker who seems to be merely concerned with peace on earth and good will towards Men, but the pope suspects a more menacing motivation behind his apparent altruisim. He asks Fr. Elijah to arrange a meeting with the man in which he can plead with him to save his soul before it is too late. This book is complex and absolutely riveting, both in a more typical spy sense (assasinations, suspicious men following you, sneaking into high security areas) and in a psychological and spiritual sense. You should totally read it.
10. The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
This is my favorite book of the trilogy. When you finish it you will be emotionaly exhausted. In the past, I wasn't sure how I felt about the Scouring of the Shire, the chapter in which Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin return home only to find their precious Shire taken over by wicked men and foolish hobbits. It seemed like all the danger and death was over with the destruction of the ring and all, and I guess I just felt as tired of this as the hobbits, but this time I loved that chapter. It really belongs. I know it will surprise you to hear this, but Tolkien knew what he was doing. A smart dude, no doubt about that.
~ December ~
11. The Golden Princess and the Moon by Anna Maria Mendell
I wrote a long review about this book here. I have read it many times and it's still one of my favorite works of literature.
12. Secret of Ron Mor Skerry by Rosalie K. Fry
This is a Scottish tale told of a little girl living by the ocean with her grandparents near an island where her younger brother Jamie was stolen from years ago. Stolen by the ocean, but not dead. At least Fiona won't believe he's dead, and as she's seen a little boy riding the waves in a little boat resembling a cradle she has substantial proof to support her hope in him being alive. This book was made into a movie, only the movie is Irish instead of Scottish. It is called The Secret of Roan Inish. Both the book and the movie are haunting and magical, the movie a little more so I would say.
13. Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody
Father and I Were Ranchers is the first book in a series (called Little Britches) telling the real life story of Ralph Moody and his family's life in early 1900's Colorado. It's wonderful. Ralph Moody tells his story simply and entertainingly. What early American pioneers went through and withstood, all while never losing their spirits, is incredible. I laughed, I cried, I sighed with happiness. I recommend the book and its successors wholeheartedly.
There you have it folks! Only thirteen books in four months is pretty lame, but I shall endeavor to do better in the future! I hope you enjoy the rest of the twelve days of Christmas and may God be with you in the oncoming year. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
~ Irene
