Sunday, April 3, 2011
Violet Incredible, Authoress
Recently I read Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell. In case you don't know, Sarah was the voice of Violet in The Incredibles. Assassination Vacation is Sarah's account of travelling around to sites associated with three U.S. presidents who were assassinated - Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley. Interestingly, Robert Todd Lincoln, Abe's son, had some sort of connection with each assassination. I must say I learned a lot from this book. Not just about the presidents, but about our country and its policies and politics. It might surprise you to discover what people will actually place in a museum to commemorate a person or occasion. Although Sarah Vowell and I differ in some of the beliefs we hold dear, I find her to be an entertaining and informative writer.
Friday, February 4, 2011
A Simple Gift
What would you do if you found out that your grandfather had done something noble while at the same time perpetrating a lie about his background? If you are Ted Gup, you write a book entitled A Simple Gift.
In December 1933, during the Depression, a man calling himself A. Virdot put an ad in a Canton, OH newspaper offering to send $10 to 75 people who would write and tell him their stories. The response was so great that he decided to halve the amount given and double the number of people helped.
In 2008, through the gift of an old black suitcase filled with papers, Ted Gup discovered that A. Virdot was his grandfather, Samuel J. Stone. He eventually began a journey to discover the stories behind the recipients of the gifts and the true history of his grandfather. A Simple Gift is the result of that journey.
This book gives insight into what it was like living through the Depression and what is was like to be an immigrant to the United States, just to name two themes included.
My thoughts after finishing the book are these. Even though my family experienced some lean times when I was a child, we experienced NOTHING like those in the Depression era. As a WASP (White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant), I have not experienced the prejudice or distrust of others because of my heritage, faith, or skin color. I have not had to live in fear that I would be persecuted or thrown out of the country because they no longer wanted people of "my kind" living here.
After reading this book, how can I not feel thankful for the relatively easy life I have had. I have done nothing to deserve all the blessings that have come to me and my family. It's all grace.
In December 1933, during the Depression, a man calling himself A. Virdot put an ad in a Canton, OH newspaper offering to send $10 to 75 people who would write and tell him their stories. The response was so great that he decided to halve the amount given and double the number of people helped.
In 2008, through the gift of an old black suitcase filled with papers, Ted Gup discovered that A. Virdot was his grandfather, Samuel J. Stone. He eventually began a journey to discover the stories behind the recipients of the gifts and the true history of his grandfather. A Simple Gift is the result of that journey.
This book gives insight into what it was like living through the Depression and what is was like to be an immigrant to the United States, just to name two themes included.
My thoughts after finishing the book are these. Even though my family experienced some lean times when I was a child, we experienced NOTHING like those in the Depression era. As a WASP (White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant), I have not experienced the prejudice or distrust of others because of my heritage, faith, or skin color. I have not had to live in fear that I would be persecuted or thrown out of the country because they no longer wanted people of "my kind" living here.
After reading this book, how can I not feel thankful for the relatively easy life I have had. I have done nothing to deserve all the blessings that have come to me and my family. It's all grace.
Friday, January 21, 2011
The Typist and The Girl in the Gatehouse
For different reasons, I find I am not reading as much lately. I have read a couple of books, so I'll give my opinion of them.
Julie Klassen has written historical books that I have really enjoyed - Lady of Milkweed Manor, The Apothecary's Daughter, and The Silent Governess. Her latest, The Girl in the Gatehouse, is another success.
Mariah Aubrey, for reasons that are not immediately divulged, has been banished from her family home by her father. She and her companion are sent to live on the estate of an aunt she has not seen in some time, where they take up residence in the abandoned gatehouse. As the story plays out, we discover why Mariah was banished and the secrets that abound in the lives of the characters of the story.
One reason I like Julie Klassen's books is that her characters are flawed. She addresses life circumstances that are not confined only to the 1800's, but are worthy of our consideration even now. But for the grace of God, we could find ourselves in situations that cause us shame and social alienation.
Another book I read is The Typist by Michael Knight. I saw a recommendation for it in the Books section of the Kansas City Star and decided to give it a try.
Francis Vancleave is a typist in the U.S. Army assigned to work in Tokyo during the post-war occupation period in Japan. In the course of his work and life there he comes into contact with various people, the most notable being Gen. MacArthur and his family.
Thankfully, this was a very short book. It gave me a small desire to further research the post-war period in Japan. The main character, Van as he is known, was not very interesting in comparison with the other characters in the book. Unfortunately, those characters were not fleshed out to the extent they could have been. This book could have been a lot better than it was.
Julie Klassen has written historical books that I have really enjoyed - Lady of Milkweed Manor, The Apothecary's Daughter, and The Silent Governess. Her latest, The Girl in the Gatehouse, is another success.
Mariah Aubrey, for reasons that are not immediately divulged, has been banished from her family home by her father. She and her companion are sent to live on the estate of an aunt she has not seen in some time, where they take up residence in the abandoned gatehouse. As the story plays out, we discover why Mariah was banished and the secrets that abound in the lives of the characters of the story.
One reason I like Julie Klassen's books is that her characters are flawed. She addresses life circumstances that are not confined only to the 1800's, but are worthy of our consideration even now. But for the grace of God, we could find ourselves in situations that cause us shame and social alienation.
Another book I read is The Typist by Michael Knight. I saw a recommendation for it in the Books section of the Kansas City Star and decided to give it a try.
Francis Vancleave is a typist in the U.S. Army assigned to work in Tokyo during the post-war occupation period in Japan. In the course of his work and life there he comes into contact with various people, the most notable being Gen. MacArthur and his family.
Thankfully, this was a very short book. It gave me a small desire to further research the post-war period in Japan. The main character, Van as he is known, was not very interesting in comparison with the other characters in the book. Unfortunately, those characters were not fleshed out to the extent they could have been. This book could have been a lot better than it was.
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