I spent countless hours reading to my children when they were little; and even when they were not so little. Consequently, I know a few children's books. I thought I'd share one of those books with you. And, with Easter just around the corner I know just the one. This is a beautiful story to read to a child, if you happen to have one handy. If not, then I recommend you read it to yourself. It's worth it, even if it is a "children's" book.
The Legend of the Three Trees was written by Angela Elwell Hunt. It is a story simple enough for a child to enjoy but with meaning enough to touch the heart of an adult. It is the story of three trees growing on a hill, their life dreams, and what became of them.
As all youth do, the three trees had dreams of what they wanted to be when they matured and were cut down. Over time a woodsman came and cut down each tree, awakening in its heart the thrill of seeing its dream come true. However, each tree found disappointment in the object for which it was destined. Each tree was made into an object of its dream; but not in the way it had dreamed. Instead of lives of beauty and honor, each tree found itself being made into a mundane object of drudge and even torture.
The death of a vision is when you see your dreams die. You see the road of life taking you in a direction that lies opposite of your dream and you know that dream can never be fulfilled; that is the death of a vision. The end of your dreams. That is what happened to each of those trees from the hill.
But, after many years of hardship and disappointment, the trees began to see a new life. Suddenly, their lives were changed. The first tree was changed when the cattle trough he was made into became the bed for a special Baby. Years later, the fishing boat that was the second tree was honored when a special Man fell asleep in him during a storm. Not long after that, the third tree realized his dream of standing tall and straight and making people think of GOD and being so special that people everywhere would always remember him.
It is a beautiful story. It is a simple story. It is a touching story. It is a story of hope. It is a story of victory. I hope you will make it a point to enjoy this story this Easter season.
Happy Reading :-)
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
A Life to Rescue
A Life to Rescue is written by Karen Michelle Graham. It is a true story; a story of a mother who refused to lose her son to autism.
Karen tells of the fear, guilt, and frustration she felt when, at age two her son began to regress socially rather than continuing to progress. She gives a sense of the endless doctor visits required before finally receiving a diagnosis, and then the greater number of them after, as she searched for a way to hold onto the son she seemed to be losing. Karen opens her heart and tells us what she felt and what she experienced; both the good and the bad.
I had never known anyone, personally and up close, who had autism so I had only vague ideas of exactly what it meant to have a child with autism. Reading this book opened my eyes and my heart. I hurt and grieved for Karen. I rejoiced for her when she found a treatment and "pulled" for her during times of discouragement, when someone would try to tell her there was no "cure", that she should just accept this.Even with no prior knowledge of autism I was able to understand Karen's explanations. She did an excellent job of clarifying for the "layman" what she was experiencing and what she was facing.
I learned to admire Karen in a special way, as a woman of spiritual strength and character, when I read of the sacrifices she chose to make for the sake of her son. Most parents say they sacrifice for their children. Karen really did. She believed in her son and she believed in the GOD who created that son. She believed that GOD wanted her son to be whole. And she sacrificed in order to get him the treatment he needed. That son graduated from high school not too long ago and is now attending college. Doctors thought it impossible.
The book is well written in a "lets discuss it over tea" way. The subject matter is specific but Karen's openness makes you care even if you aren't touched by the specifics. In short, it was readable, touching, and enjoyable. It is a good book, a good read, a good story.
I like success stories. Especially when they are true. This is one that I'm sure you will love. It will touch your heart and bring you tears of joy.
Happy reading. :-)
Karen tells of the fear, guilt, and frustration she felt when, at age two her son began to regress socially rather than continuing to progress. She gives a sense of the endless doctor visits required before finally receiving a diagnosis, and then the greater number of them after, as she searched for a way to hold onto the son she seemed to be losing. Karen opens her heart and tells us what she felt and what she experienced; both the good and the bad.
I had never known anyone, personally and up close, who had autism so I had only vague ideas of exactly what it meant to have a child with autism. Reading this book opened my eyes and my heart. I hurt and grieved for Karen. I rejoiced for her when she found a treatment and "pulled" for her during times of discouragement, when someone would try to tell her there was no "cure", that she should just accept this.Even with no prior knowledge of autism I was able to understand Karen's explanations. She did an excellent job of clarifying for the "layman" what she was experiencing and what she was facing.
I learned to admire Karen in a special way, as a woman of spiritual strength and character, when I read of the sacrifices she chose to make for the sake of her son. Most parents say they sacrifice for their children. Karen really did. She believed in her son and she believed in the GOD who created that son. She believed that GOD wanted her son to be whole. And she sacrificed in order to get him the treatment he needed. That son graduated from high school not too long ago and is now attending college. Doctors thought it impossible.
The book is well written in a "lets discuss it over tea" way. The subject matter is specific but Karen's openness makes you care even if you aren't touched by the specifics. In short, it was readable, touching, and enjoyable. It is a good book, a good read, a good story.
I like success stories. Especially when they are true. This is one that I'm sure you will love. It will touch your heart and bring you tears of joy.
Happy reading. :-)
The Terminator
So, how about a quick review of a movie that has been bothering me lately? For years I had heard of this movie but never watched it; nor did I have any desire to do so. Everything I had heard about it gave me reason to not want to see it. And, honestly, I rarely watch "R" rated movies. More about that another time. Anyway, I'm not going to tell you too many details about this movie but I will tell you my opinion of it.
I believe it is the second worst movie I have ever actually seen. It was completely stupid and dumb. Yes, both. Why did I watch it? Stephen and I occasionally watch a movie together. Because it is less painful for me to watch his kind than it is for him to watch my kind, we usually watch movies of his choice. Having heard all the male-hype about this movie, he thought it was a likely choice.
Well, just so you know, Stephen's opinion of it was something like this, "The good thing about this movie is that it is a perfect example of the kind of movie NOT to watch." He put it in the trash when it was over. He got up and walked out of the room during the completely unnecessary but obligatory "sex" scene and I fast forwarded; there are some things I just really don't want to see other people do. Know what I mean?
Some of the he-man, futuristic movies are, in my feminine opinion, not worth seeing. But at least they have some sort of stimulating or intriguing plot line to go along with the violence that seems to appeal to many men these days. Not this one. The supposed plot line was illogical. If the guy came back from the future to be the father of her child, and that child later (in the future) had sent him back in time to save her ... (see what I mean?) how could that possibly happen if he (the father) died while he was "back in time"? Crazy. And dumb. And stupid. So was the part where the half machine/half man came back to life, larger than ever only this time as a machine only, after his head fell off as a result of his body being completely incinerated.
If you've been wondering what you missed by not seeing The Terminator, take my advice and take a nap.
Thanks for reading. :-)
I believe it is the second worst movie I have ever actually seen. It was completely stupid and dumb. Yes, both. Why did I watch it? Stephen and I occasionally watch a movie together. Because it is less painful for me to watch his kind than it is for him to watch my kind, we usually watch movies of his choice. Having heard all the male-hype about this movie, he thought it was a likely choice.
Well, just so you know, Stephen's opinion of it was something like this, "The good thing about this movie is that it is a perfect example of the kind of movie NOT to watch." He put it in the trash when it was over. He got up and walked out of the room during the completely unnecessary but obligatory "sex" scene and I fast forwarded; there are some things I just really don't want to see other people do. Know what I mean?
Some of the he-man, futuristic movies are, in my feminine opinion, not worth seeing. But at least they have some sort of stimulating or intriguing plot line to go along with the violence that seems to appeal to many men these days. Not this one. The supposed plot line was illogical. If the guy came back from the future to be the father of her child, and that child later (in the future) had sent him back in time to save her ... (see what I mean?) how could that possibly happen if he (the father) died while he was "back in time"? Crazy. And dumb. And stupid. So was the part where the half machine/half man came back to life, larger than ever only this time as a machine only, after his head fell off as a result of his body being completely incinerated.
If you've been wondering what you missed by not seeing The Terminator, take my advice and take a nap.
Thanks for reading. :-)
Thursday, March 24, 2011
An Administrative Issue
This, my third blog post, is not going to be a book review. Instead, I am going to try to clarify something for everyone who is kind enough to come read my blog and try to write a comment. I really WANT those comments. REALLY. I do. So, if you are inclined to make one, I hope you will.
Here is the problem. There is this thing called a profile. Initially, I had the blog set so that only people with a profile could make comments. I did it this way because I wanted to guard against spam. Then my son, who has had his own blog for somewhere around three years, told me he has NEVER once been spammed. So, I decided that maybe I could lighten up. I came to the blog and changed the setting so that ANYONE can write a comment. I don't mind that. As long as we all are courteous, the more the merrier. Right?
However, apparently the blog is still asking you to make a profile. I believe this is a part of the way the website filters out spam. Please understand two things. First, most of what I "see" in the blog is what I am hearing from someone like you. As the writer of the blog, I don't know if what I see is what you see or only what I, as the writer, see. Do you see? :-) The second thing is that I know what a blog is; that is about the extent of my knowledge of how to "manage" one. I am learning as I go. I'm trying really hard to make everything easy and "nice" for you. However, there are some things I just cannot do. Maybe someone can; but I can't. And what I cannot do is make it any easier to make comments than it is right now.
So, what does that mean? What do you have to do? I spoke with an "independent evaluator" earlier this evening and this is what I got from that conversation. (Any errors are completely my own and not to be attributed on anyone's ignorance but mine.) She came to the blog and left a comment. She did NOT set up a profile. She DID have to reproduce one of those security word puzzles. (At least, most of them look like puzzles to me.) The reason for that is to make sure it is a real person about to write a comment, and to prevent computer generated spam. She did not have to give her name or any other personal information in order to comment. She did put her name at the bottom of the text so I could know which was her comment. However, the website recognized her as "Anonymous" and put that at the top of her comment. If it absolutely required (which isn't completely clear to me) her to choose a "profile" she simply typed in her first name.
I just can't make it any easier than that. I hope you will be brave and take the challenge and write a comment. Or write several. :-) Here is the thing. I want you to read the blog. And I hope you will enjoy it. But I need to know what people think and what responses are happening as a result of the reading. :-) So I need for readers to write comments when they have something to say. Tell me if you like something or if you don't. Ask questions if you want to. Let's be nice; but open. But that means you are going to have to get over the concern about the profile. For now you don't have to set one up but you do have to do the security word.
Do you want to know a secret? In time (maybe a few weeks) I will probably change it back so that you have to have a profile to comment. Now, don't worry. If I am not mistaken, one of the simplest ways you can have a profile is to have a Yahoo or Gmail e-mail account. There are others; Wordpress and I don't know what else. If you already have an account with any of several online "companies" your profile from there will be recognized here. Just click on it when you're asked for your profile. Then enter that profile. Simple.
Another possibility, I believe, is to set up an unnamed profile. Make your profile something like "Twinkle Toes" or "Pinky". I'm pretty sure you don't have to give your name. This blog isn't trying to gather personal info about you; it is just trying to identify who you are. And the main reason for that is probably so I can know if you are writing 15 comments a day. LOL Seriously, if you write a comment anonymously I will have no idea who wrote it. Anyone can write a comment and sign another person's name if the website recognizes them both as "anonymous" and I'll have no way to identify the real writer. Once you have a profile you will simply click on it every time and the website itself will sign your "profile" signature. No one else can write under your profile.
It may not matter who writes the comments most of the time. However, if someone should come in and write something nasty I would want to be able to bar the person from commenting again. Am I in favor of censorship? Yes; partially. :-) I won't bar someone because they criticize something I say. I want to hear constructive negative comments as well as positive ones. However, I do want this to be a place where we all enjoy coming to read about something we enjoy. I want every visit to this blog to be a pleasant experience. I certainly cannot guarantee that for everyone but I can try by maintaining a standard of Christ-like respect and courtesy toward and from everyone.
So, to recap. For now anyone can comment. No profile is necessary but some sort of sign-in is, to verify that the comment is written by a person. However, that is probably going to change. For two reasons: I really like having some sort of identity to associate with the comments. If you don't want me to know who you are choose a profile that won't identify your person but will identify your comments - or at least distinguish them from those of other people. The second reason I am inclined to require a profile is to prevent spam. I know Stephen hasn't had to deal with it, and I'm glad. However, his blog is pretty private and I hope this one will end up being much more public than his. The more "traffic" it receives, the more likely it will also receive spam. So, I'd rather require a profile than deal with spam. Please go ahead and comment now, while it is easy. But also consider setting up a simple profile so that you will be ready when the time comes for me to change the setting back to the more secure one.
One last comment and I'm done. I tend to have lots of words to use. LOL So my posts will probably tend toward the long side, as this one did in spite of my intention to make it as short as possible. However, I want you to know that my goal is not to be long; nor to be short. Some books can be reviewed in a few words; others are going to need more. The same is true when there are "housekeeping" issues such as this post addresses. Some may be short while others may require more for the sake of clarity. If you feel that my reviews are too long and give away too much about the book, tell me so; if you feel they are too short to give an adequate idea of what the book is about, tell me so. My goals are to communicate and share with you something that I love, to be clear in what I am trying to convey, to have a good time, and to do what I can to entertain you. And, as always, my first and last goal is to please the Lord Jesus. Beyond that, well ... the sky is the limit. :-) Thanks for reading.
-Dianne :-)
Here is the problem. There is this thing called a profile. Initially, I had the blog set so that only people with a profile could make comments. I did it this way because I wanted to guard against spam. Then my son, who has had his own blog for somewhere around three years, told me he has NEVER once been spammed. So, I decided that maybe I could lighten up. I came to the blog and changed the setting so that ANYONE can write a comment. I don't mind that. As long as we all are courteous, the more the merrier. Right?
However, apparently the blog is still asking you to make a profile. I believe this is a part of the way the website filters out spam. Please understand two things. First, most of what I "see" in the blog is what I am hearing from someone like you. As the writer of the blog, I don't know if what I see is what you see or only what I, as the writer, see. Do you see? :-) The second thing is that I know what a blog is; that is about the extent of my knowledge of how to "manage" one. I am learning as I go. I'm trying really hard to make everything easy and "nice" for you. However, there are some things I just cannot do. Maybe someone can; but I can't. And what I cannot do is make it any easier to make comments than it is right now.
So, what does that mean? What do you have to do? I spoke with an "independent evaluator" earlier this evening and this is what I got from that conversation. (Any errors are completely my own and not to be attributed on anyone's ignorance but mine.) She came to the blog and left a comment. She did NOT set up a profile. She DID have to reproduce one of those security word puzzles. (At least, most of them look like puzzles to me.) The reason for that is to make sure it is a real person about to write a comment, and to prevent computer generated spam. She did not have to give her name or any other personal information in order to comment. She did put her name at the bottom of the text so I could know which was her comment. However, the website recognized her as "Anonymous" and put that at the top of her comment. If it absolutely required (which isn't completely clear to me) her to choose a "profile" she simply typed in her first name.
I just can't make it any easier than that. I hope you will be brave and take the challenge and write a comment. Or write several. :-) Here is the thing. I want you to read the blog. And I hope you will enjoy it. But I need to know what people think and what responses are happening as a result of the reading. :-) So I need for readers to write comments when they have something to say. Tell me if you like something or if you don't. Ask questions if you want to. Let's be nice; but open. But that means you are going to have to get over the concern about the profile. For now you don't have to set one up but you do have to do the security word.
Do you want to know a secret? In time (maybe a few weeks) I will probably change it back so that you have to have a profile to comment. Now, don't worry. If I am not mistaken, one of the simplest ways you can have a profile is to have a Yahoo or Gmail e-mail account. There are others; Wordpress and I don't know what else. If you already have an account with any of several online "companies" your profile from there will be recognized here. Just click on it when you're asked for your profile. Then enter that profile. Simple.
Another possibility, I believe, is to set up an unnamed profile. Make your profile something like "Twinkle Toes" or "Pinky". I'm pretty sure you don't have to give your name. This blog isn't trying to gather personal info about you; it is just trying to identify who you are. And the main reason for that is probably so I can know if you are writing 15 comments a day. LOL Seriously, if you write a comment anonymously I will have no idea who wrote it. Anyone can write a comment and sign another person's name if the website recognizes them both as "anonymous" and I'll have no way to identify the real writer. Once you have a profile you will simply click on it every time and the website itself will sign your "profile" signature. No one else can write under your profile.
It may not matter who writes the comments most of the time. However, if someone should come in and write something nasty I would want to be able to bar the person from commenting again. Am I in favor of censorship? Yes; partially. :-) I won't bar someone because they criticize something I say. I want to hear constructive negative comments as well as positive ones. However, I do want this to be a place where we all enjoy coming to read about something we enjoy. I want every visit to this blog to be a pleasant experience. I certainly cannot guarantee that for everyone but I can try by maintaining a standard of Christ-like respect and courtesy toward and from everyone.
So, to recap. For now anyone can comment. No profile is necessary but some sort of sign-in is, to verify that the comment is written by a person. However, that is probably going to change. For two reasons: I really like having some sort of identity to associate with the comments. If you don't want me to know who you are choose a profile that won't identify your person but will identify your comments - or at least distinguish them from those of other people. The second reason I am inclined to require a profile is to prevent spam. I know Stephen hasn't had to deal with it, and I'm glad. However, his blog is pretty private and I hope this one will end up being much more public than his. The more "traffic" it receives, the more likely it will also receive spam. So, I'd rather require a profile than deal with spam. Please go ahead and comment now, while it is easy. But also consider setting up a simple profile so that you will be ready when the time comes for me to change the setting back to the more secure one.
One last comment and I'm done. I tend to have lots of words to use. LOL So my posts will probably tend toward the long side, as this one did in spite of my intention to make it as short as possible. However, I want you to know that my goal is not to be long; nor to be short. Some books can be reviewed in a few words; others are going to need more. The same is true when there are "housekeeping" issues such as this post addresses. Some may be short while others may require more for the sake of clarity. If you feel that my reviews are too long and give away too much about the book, tell me so; if you feel they are too short to give an adequate idea of what the book is about, tell me so. My goals are to communicate and share with you something that I love, to be clear in what I am trying to convey, to have a good time, and to do what I can to entertain you. And, as always, my first and last goal is to please the Lord Jesus. Beyond that, well ... the sky is the limit. :-) Thanks for reading.
-Dianne :-)
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
A Book to Stay Up All Night to Read
One of the dangers and joys of my life is that I work in a Christian bookstore. The danger is that I will spend too much money on books. The joy is that I usually know when good books are released. That happened a couple of months ago when I spotted a new book on the shelf at our store. I was innocently walking by the fiction section on my way to do something (I hope you don't expect that much detail) when I noticed a book that wasn't there the day before. I grabbed it and put it someplace so I would remember to pay for it when I was leaving. I knew I would read a good portion of it before I went to bed that very night.
The book was The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen. I could hardly wait to read it because I had been so pleased with the author's previous books. I was right. This book is so good that I ended up staying up all night in order to finish it. I just couldn't put it down.
The story begins in September of 1813 and finishes up just over a year later. Mariah Aubrey has been sent from her home to live in an abandoned gatehouse on the estate of an older relative. When she and her companion, her former nanny, arrive her aunt refuses to see her. The hurt and mystified Mariah begins to settle in at the gatehouse which isn't situated by the "real" gate but by an old gate that is no longer used, putting her residence in a somewhat secluded situation. The closest lodging to her is the village poor house which is practically across the lawn from the gatehouse.
Not long after Mariah moves in her aunt dies, but not before she gives Mariah a locked chest and tells her she may open it after the aunt dies and she is to take it with her if she is forced to leave the estate after the aunt's death. What could be in the mysterious chest that the aunt's stepson is so anxious to find?
How is Mariah to support herself? Her father sent her away with some money but barely enough to get them established in the gatehouse. With funds depleted Mariah decides to try her hand as an authoress. She has a story she wrote as a girl; she edits it and, with the help of her brother, is able to get it published, thus securing their situation for a few more months.
In the meantime, Hugh Prin-Hallsey, the new owner leases the estate to Captain Matthew Bryant, a naval officer who has recently been "paid off". Mariah finds the captain very attractive but he has declared himself in love with and determined to win another woman, one who refused him once already. Mariah is confused by his apparent attraction to her but reminds herself that his heart lies elsewhere. She also constantly reminds herself that because of her unhappy past she must be very careful in her relationships with men. She must not trust too easily and be led astray. Again.
Mariah's companion, Miss Dixon, has never had a romance. Now, it seems she may have two. Who will win her heart? The widowed gardener who brings her flowers and bulbs? Or the manservant who was "left" to Mariah when her aunt passed away? It seems unlikely Martin will be able to secure Dixon's affection because he begins with certain things against him: a strange, herbal smell about his person, the fact he has a hook instead of one hand, and he dares to ask for salt for the food she cooks because he is accustomed to his food having a bit of "flavor".
Then there is the nearby poorhouse. Mariah becomes acquainted with and quite attached to several of the inmates. There are brother and sister, George and Lizzy Barnes. Lizzy is too old to stay in the poorhouse but has been put "on staff" so she can be near her young brother. There are the two aged twin sisters, Amy and Agnes. One of them was sold into a "bawdy house" by her father when she was young. Which one? The cheerful, positive Amy? Or the critical, discouraging Agnes? And, how did they come here? There is the little Maggie who sings like an angel but is very shy and runs away from Mariah when she sees her. And, who in the world is the old man who goes up on the roof of the poorhouse but whom the other inmates have been instructed to know nothing about if asked?
The Girl in the Gatehouse has many questions that need to be answered. The characters are believable. Their stories show real human nature. One of the things I loved about this book is that while reading it I kept discovering more and more. I didn't have to read through pages and pages of descriptions (which I don't like) but rather, each page was filled with action or conversation that moved the story along at a good clip. Julie did a really good job of clarifying jumps in time from one scene to the next. I don't have much patience with books whose ending I know before I get there. This book, more than any I've read in a long time, kept me on the edge of my seat and wondering what this or that outcome would be. There were some things that it was pretty obvious would happen but such stumbling blocks got in the way that I didn't know how the problems would be resolved. I LOVED this. LOL
If you like Jane Austen's books you will absolutely love this book. I do not make such bold statements easily. The Girl in the Gatehouse is filled with Jane Austen quotes, Jane Austen illusions, Jane Austen references. The book has characters who "shadow" characters in Jane's books. There are names names from Jane's books: Mariah, Henry, Crawford, and Lizzy, of course. The book is sprinkled with quotes from Jane's books as well as from her personal letters, as well as from other writers of the time.
I will leave you with one quote from the book. This is, as far as I can remember, Julie's thought, not Jane's. But it sounds so Jane Austen-ish that I laughed out loud when I first read it. And did so again when I re-read it today. I love the quote. Captain Bryant and his friend, Mr. Hart have taken a picnic outside and are sitting under a tree, reading two of the latest novels from London. When Mariah approaches them Mr. Hart says: "Miss Aubrey, come and have pity on us. We are reading novels and feel our manliness diminishing by the moment. Come restore our vanity, do, and tell use we look the dashing officers we once were."
Happy reading
The book was The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen. I could hardly wait to read it because I had been so pleased with the author's previous books. I was right. This book is so good that I ended up staying up all night in order to finish it. I just couldn't put it down.
The story begins in September of 1813 and finishes up just over a year later. Mariah Aubrey has been sent from her home to live in an abandoned gatehouse on the estate of an older relative. When she and her companion, her former nanny, arrive her aunt refuses to see her. The hurt and mystified Mariah begins to settle in at the gatehouse which isn't situated by the "real" gate but by an old gate that is no longer used, putting her residence in a somewhat secluded situation. The closest lodging to her is the village poor house which is practically across the lawn from the gatehouse.
Not long after Mariah moves in her aunt dies, but not before she gives Mariah a locked chest and tells her she may open it after the aunt dies and she is to take it with her if she is forced to leave the estate after the aunt's death. What could be in the mysterious chest that the aunt's stepson is so anxious to find?
How is Mariah to support herself? Her father sent her away with some money but barely enough to get them established in the gatehouse. With funds depleted Mariah decides to try her hand as an authoress. She has a story she wrote as a girl; she edits it and, with the help of her brother, is able to get it published, thus securing their situation for a few more months.
In the meantime, Hugh Prin-Hallsey, the new owner leases the estate to Captain Matthew Bryant, a naval officer who has recently been "paid off". Mariah finds the captain very attractive but he has declared himself in love with and determined to win another woman, one who refused him once already. Mariah is confused by his apparent attraction to her but reminds herself that his heart lies elsewhere. She also constantly reminds herself that because of her unhappy past she must be very careful in her relationships with men. She must not trust too easily and be led astray. Again.
Mariah's companion, Miss Dixon, has never had a romance. Now, it seems she may have two. Who will win her heart? The widowed gardener who brings her flowers and bulbs? Or the manservant who was "left" to Mariah when her aunt passed away? It seems unlikely Martin will be able to secure Dixon's affection because he begins with certain things against him: a strange, herbal smell about his person, the fact he has a hook instead of one hand, and he dares to ask for salt for the food she cooks because he is accustomed to his food having a bit of "flavor".
Then there is the nearby poorhouse. Mariah becomes acquainted with and quite attached to several of the inmates. There are brother and sister, George and Lizzy Barnes. Lizzy is too old to stay in the poorhouse but has been put "on staff" so she can be near her young brother. There are the two aged twin sisters, Amy and Agnes. One of them was sold into a "bawdy house" by her father when she was young. Which one? The cheerful, positive Amy? Or the critical, discouraging Agnes? And, how did they come here? There is the little Maggie who sings like an angel but is very shy and runs away from Mariah when she sees her. And, who in the world is the old man who goes up on the roof of the poorhouse but whom the other inmates have been instructed to know nothing about if asked?
The Girl in the Gatehouse has many questions that need to be answered. The characters are believable. Their stories show real human nature. One of the things I loved about this book is that while reading it I kept discovering more and more. I didn't have to read through pages and pages of descriptions (which I don't like) but rather, each page was filled with action or conversation that moved the story along at a good clip. Julie did a really good job of clarifying jumps in time from one scene to the next. I don't have much patience with books whose ending I know before I get there. This book, more than any I've read in a long time, kept me on the edge of my seat and wondering what this or that outcome would be. There were some things that it was pretty obvious would happen but such stumbling blocks got in the way that I didn't know how the problems would be resolved. I LOVED this. LOL
If you like Jane Austen's books you will absolutely love this book. I do not make such bold statements easily. The Girl in the Gatehouse is filled with Jane Austen quotes, Jane Austen illusions, Jane Austen references. The book has characters who "shadow" characters in Jane's books. There are names names from Jane's books: Mariah, Henry, Crawford, and Lizzy, of course. The book is sprinkled with quotes from Jane's books as well as from her personal letters, as well as from other writers of the time.
I will leave you with one quote from the book. This is, as far as I can remember, Julie's thought, not Jane's. But it sounds so Jane Austen-ish that I laughed out loud when I first read it. And did so again when I re-read it today. I love the quote. Captain Bryant and his friend, Mr. Hart have taken a picnic outside and are sitting under a tree, reading two of the latest novels from London. When Mariah approaches them Mr. Hart says: "Miss Aubrey, come and have pity on us. We are reading novels and feel our manliness diminishing by the moment. Come restore our vanity, do, and tell use we look the dashing officers we once were."
Happy reading
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Welcome :-)
It has taken much longer to get this blog up and going than I thought it would. How little I underestimated my technical ignorance. LOL
As far as I can tell, the blog is complete and ready to be published and wait for the hoards of people who will be checking in to see what I have to say about books. And movies. Because, no one should be fooled into thinking I won't be talking about movies here too; though I plan to try to go heavy on books. Please feel free to tell me if you think I'm doing too many movies for a "book nook".
I have decided to make the comments public, at least for now. So, anything you post should be open for all readers to see. I reserve the prerogative to change this if I feel the need to do so at any time.
I have used a template and lots of settings to make the blog look as it does now. I am not under the misconception that I haven't made mistakes. :-) No doubt, I will be making changes as I learn more about how things work. For the next week or so, feel free to make comments about what you think would be improvements to the basics I have set here. If you want to, that is. If you don't, that's fine because there is a good chance I wouldn't know how to do whatever you suggest anyway. :-)
I do not have a picture of me currently but hope to get one up in the fairly near future.
Thank you to everyone who helped me name my blog. The first two names I tried were not available. This was very frustrating. How dare anyone use a blog with my name in it? LOL The winning name was suggested by Linda Henson. Thank you, Linda. Brooks Book Nook may have too many "ooks" but I just couldn't resist. I hope you all will like it and find it to be a comfortable place to come and discuss books (and movies).
I am going to stop writing for now and go publish this post and take a look at the blog and see what needs to be done next. So, this is the end of my first blog post. Thanks for reading.
Dianne :-)
As far as I can tell, the blog is complete and ready to be published and wait for the hoards of people who will be checking in to see what I have to say about books. And movies. Because, no one should be fooled into thinking I won't be talking about movies here too; though I plan to try to go heavy on books. Please feel free to tell me if you think I'm doing too many movies for a "book nook".
I have decided to make the comments public, at least for now. So, anything you post should be open for all readers to see. I reserve the prerogative to change this if I feel the need to do so at any time.
I have used a template and lots of settings to make the blog look as it does now. I am not under the misconception that I haven't made mistakes. :-) No doubt, I will be making changes as I learn more about how things work. For the next week or so, feel free to make comments about what you think would be improvements to the basics I have set here. If you want to, that is. If you don't, that's fine because there is a good chance I wouldn't know how to do whatever you suggest anyway. :-)
I do not have a picture of me currently but hope to get one up in the fairly near future.
Thank you to everyone who helped me name my blog. The first two names I tried were not available. This was very frustrating. How dare anyone use a blog with my name in it? LOL The winning name was suggested by Linda Henson. Thank you, Linda. Brooks Book Nook may have too many "ooks" but I just couldn't resist. I hope you all will like it and find it to be a comfortable place to come and discuss books (and movies).
I am going to stop writing for now and go publish this post and take a look at the blog and see what needs to be done next. So, this is the end of my first blog post. Thanks for reading.
Dianne :-)
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