Ode to Joy

I have a dear friend who has encouraged my reading like no other person on earth! Before I met her, some of the authors I loved were the Bronte sisters, Jane Austen and L. M. Montgomery. My friend has added fuel to the flame of my passion for these authors. But best of all, she has expanded my list of favorite authors to include Charles Dickens first of all, then Elizabeth Gaskell, George Eliot and others. Every book she has recommended has been a soul stirring fascinating read that I can’t put down!

The latest example of this is A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute. Although this book is fiction, it was inspired by a true story. The settings for this story take you to exotic places with unique characters. It begins during WWII, so at first I put off reading it, thinking it was “another war book”. But it is so much more than that! It goes on past the war to what happens to the characters long after the war is over. I was so moved by this story! It is so believably written, but amazing to imagine. This heroine endured more than Scarlett O’Hara, but is a lovable character you want to hug rather than slap (as I want to do to Scarlett). The hero is handsome and admirable, a REAL MAN! How can anyone not be inspired by this story of courage and self sacrifice in the face of injustice and war? Not to mention the undying faithfulness and love?

There is much pain and sadness in this book, but my life has been so enriched by reading it, that it can’t get me down at all. I so want to be like the woman in this book, almost more than any other fictional hero I love. She has an enduring optimism and vision for how to improve her and others' lives, and the courage, wisdom and means to carry it out. Therefore, she is an asset to every situation and relationship in which she is found.

If you can get a hold of this book and read it, you won’t be disappointed. I have not given away any of the plot because it is just so good – I would hate to “spoil” it for you. There was a movie made of this book years ago. It has never been put on DVD, but if you can get a copy of the video, it is excellent also.

This same dear friend also recommended I read Exodus by Leon Uris. Another fiction based on true events. Have you ever read a book that you never stop thinking about – even years after you finished reading it? This book is like that for me. So moving! So insightful into what Jews went through around the time of WWII and beyond to when Israel became a nation.

After reading it, I remember discussing this book with Pastor Dad (my father-in-law) because he had not only read it and loved it but he also recommended I read his copy of another book by Leon Uris, QB VII, which is about a court case involving a Polish doctor accused of performing ghastly medical experiments for the Nazis during the war. Pastor Dad went to heaven before I could borrow and read his book, but just last week, Mom has lent it to us and Jim and I are reading it together. So far, it is really good, but I will have to blog later about it after we finish. You can pray for me as I am having trouble waiting for Jim and not reading ahead.

Cats

I was born very allergic to cats. In spite of this, or maybe because they were forbidden, I had a fascination for them growing up. For example, when it was time to memorize and recite a poem in 5th grade, I chose one about a cat. When it was time to pick out a souvenir on vacation, I chose one in the shape of a cat. When we visited homes that included a cat, I usually played with it and got such an allergic reaction that it scared my parents! My nose would run like a faucet, my eyes swelled up, and by the time I was starting to have trouble breathing it was time to go home!

One of the Scholastic Book Club books my mom bought for me when I was in 3rd or 4th grade is called, The House of Thirty Cats by Mary Calhoun. Over the years I have reread it many times. It is nothing but delightful! I learned a lot about cats from this book. I usually plan not to expressly tell the stories of the books I love-- in order not to spoil it for someone who has yet to read it. Although I do plan to blog occasionally about books I DO NOT recommend, I usually want people to read the ones I have enjoyed. It is not as fun to read a book when you already know what is going to happen! But since this is a little-known, out-of-print children’s book, I will make an exception and tell you a little more about it.

A lonely old lady and a lonely young girl become friends beginning with their common love of cats. Don’t you love that already? The woman feeds a lot of cats who hang out at her place, but she probably does NOT have as many as thirty. That is an exaggeration. The young girl learns that a cat has his/her own personality, and when the government tells the lady she has to get rid of most of the cats, the girl works hard studying the personalities of people she knows in order to try to match them to cat personalities so she can find homes for them all! As a result, both the girl and the woman make friends besides themselves and are no longer lonely. This is definitely a “feel good” book from beginning to end! The descriptions of the cats are comical and endearing, even the “evil” one! Some fond memories of the book include: How the lady picked dandelions in other people’s yards to use in a “stew” that she fed the cats out of leftover scraps and things. How everyone thought she was crazy, but she wasn’t. She satiated the cats’ desire to “be alone” when they needed it by providing a locked room upstairs with a cat door in it. How she “threw” a birthday party for one of her favorite cats and made tuna pancakes and hung rubber balls in the bushes and put a bunch of paper bags all over the lawn for them to play in.

Even before I read the book to her, my middle daughter started signs of loving cats at an early age and begged us to get her one. The main problem was that I was allergic! The other problem we faced was that all pets were forbidden by the owner of the house we rented at the time. I remember telling all three of my kids when they asked for pets, “When you grow up and get a home of your own, you can have all the pets you want!”

But in the year 2000, Cathryn was diagnosed with a progressive genetic disease with no cure. The prognosis at that time was that she would not live past her teens. Now she would not be able to “grow up, get a home of you own and have all the pets you want”! We wrote a letter to the owner of the house explaining this and pleading for permission to have a cat for Cathryn, but he refused. By the next year we had moved to a more wheelchair friendly house. Yes, just a little over a year after the diagnosis she needed a wheelchair. The owner of the “new” house said that yes, Cathryn may have a cat!

When we got that first cat, I started out trying never to touch him and scrupulously cleaned the house often with a hepa filter vacuum, kept my bedroom door shut so he would never go near where I sleep, and took allergy medicine. After a while, I slowly relaxed on the cleaning, stopped taking meds and started petting him. It was a miracle! I didn’t get a reaction! I still have trouble understanding how that could happen! Now we have two different cats. One is supposed to be Cathryn’s, but he has adopted me. He sleeps on my bed, hops in my lap often and frequently buries his head in my neck. I have no reaction after three years of having these two cats. Do you have an explanation?

Rob’s cat is so much like him that I think the spirit of the young girl in the story must have been there when he was chosen for him, don’t you? They both love music. When Rob is playing piano, his cat almost always jumps up onto the bench with him. He sometimes plucks guitar strings with his teeth, and is fascinated by the amp. Neither of them likes work very much. Rob is faithful to do his chores and homework for the most part, but usually turns down the opportunity to do something extra to earn money. His cat doesn’t hunt and has never caught anything. They both enjoy verbal communication. They both come and find me just to tell me something. I love it that Rob likes to come home and tell me about his day. This cat has several different meows he uses at varying pitches etc. Sometimes I can swear he says “Mom!” Just like Rob. He says “Ow!” when he has a tummy ache from eating too much grass. Other times he clearly seems to say, “Out!” when standing at the door. Both Rob and his cat are fun-loving, playful, and busy. Neither of them can be found sitting around doing nothing.

If only Cathryn’s cat would choose her for a master, we all would be very happy! They are very much alike also. This cat does not like to run and play much (Cathryn can’t). One of his favorite things to do is sleep (Cathryn often gets 12 hours of sleep at night). When this cat gets something in his head that he wants, he is persistent to get it. Cathryn also has a “stick-to-it-ness” that is amazing. Both Cathryn and her cat are soft spoken. I have rarely heard him say more than a soft little “mew”. They both are friendly, loving, affectionate, and display a sweet spirit. Neither of them shrinks from working. Cathryn works harder than any of us to get anything done because of her physical challenges. Her cat is a great hunter and has caught several “prizes”. But they are both “laid back” and can sit and daydream for hours; they never seem to be “bored”.

Anyone of any age would enjoy reading this book, if you can find a copy in a used bookstore somewhere. If you love cats already, you will love it. If you hate cats, you might learn enough from reading this book that you could start liking some of them a little bit, or at least hate them less.

Be True

The only other book I was ever made to read in high school that I remember was The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This book probably affected my young life more than any other besides the Bible! The moral stated by the author surprised me. He was not preaching abstinence as many people believe. I think in 1850, when this was written, everyone held that belief already. Although reading this book definitely reinforced my conviction about that; what my life could be like if I sinned in that way.

But his moral is this: “Be true! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred!” I actually put this as my Facebook status last year right after Cathryn and I finished reading it.

What I take Hawthorne to mean is that sin should be confessed as soon as possible, and often not just to God, but to others. Keep clean accounts with people, be yourself. Hiding things (especially sins) devour the spirit and body of a person. I have done my best to live by this principle. One of the results is that most everybody knows where they stand with me. Sometimes I am maybe too honest, and have hurt people. Also, nothing hurts me more than someone thinking something about me that is not true. I can literally lose sleep at night if I think there is something unresolved in any of my relationships. In college I actually went to the next-door neighbor’s to my childhood home and confessed to throwing rocks in their pool as a child. They had asked me once if I had done it and I had lied.

Rereading this book last year with Cathryn (my third or fourth time) helped me see that over the years I have lost sight of this goal of being true and for many years tried to get people to think only well of me. I had put pressure on myself to be more perfect than is humanly possible. I am glad for the humility God has taught me the last two years and the reminders in His word and in this book to BE TRUE!

I read one other book by Hawthorne this year, The House of the Seven Gables. It was interesting, but not nearly as good. In this work he deals with the possibility of a family being “cursed” by the sin of an ancestor that is only lifted when things are made right, and hidden things are revealed. I don’t think God always works that way. Of course there are direct consequences to sin, but the problems this family faces don’t seem always to be related to the misdealing of the ancestor. Greed was behind it and only one of the four living relatives of this man has the same problem with greed.

In both books, Hawthorne punishes his “bad guys” with death. Their bodies just cannot handle living with the consequences of sin. Instead of rejoicing that the “bad guy” “gets it” in the end, Hawthorne leads the reader to feel only pity, compassion, and remorse, with an understanding that, “There, but for the grace of God go I.” ~John Bradford 1553 (about 100 years before the setting to The Scarlet Letter)

I used to think that everyone should read The Scarlet Letter before they finish high school. I still do, but these days that is almost too late to learn the lessons this book teaches. The book is pretty difficult to read and comprehend for younger than high school age. If you have never read it, please do! I bet you won’t regret it. Just keep in mind that Hawthorne paints a “historical” picture of Puritans as only judgemental and harsh. This is unfortunate. Those I know who have studied church history have informed me that although some people must have been that way, as some church-goers are today, most Puritans tried to practice Biblical love and grace as most of today’s true Christians do. I hate it that some public schools use this book to paint Christians in a bad light.

These first two posts are pretty "heavy". I have started blogging by writing about the books that have affected me the most. I promise I will also blog a lot about books that I have enjoyed just because they are fun! I can't help it if I get passionate about books!

The Beginning

Not all readers are good writers. I definitely am not! So I appreciate anyone who bears with me as I express my feelings here about books and stuff.

I owe my love of reading to my mother. She read to me a lot and took me to the library frequently. I remember I was about third grade when my mom encouraged me one day at the library to pick out a novel instead of just a stack of picture books. I chose Old Yeller. I read it all in one day because I just couldn’t put it down. After that, my mom bought for me any book I wanted from the Scholastic Book Club at school and I remember some of them were books that were made into Disney Movies that I wanted to see, but missed. A couple of memorable ones are 101 Dalmatians and Escape To Witch Mountain.

I didn’t have many friends growing up, so books were my friends and my ticket to anywhere I wanted to go or anyone I wanted to be. Have you seen the Amazon Kindle commercial on TV? I LOVE that! I definitely feel like that when I read.

My earliest memory of books in school was first grade. I remember the “Dick and Jane” type reader we had. I have a vivid memory of one day having reading group and being so into the story about a boy taking a trip to the moon. The teacher was having trouble controlling an unruly class, so gave up on reading for the day and told us to close our readers and color (or something?). She put her feet up on her desk and leisurely ate a banana. I was so frustrated! I wanted so badly to know what happened in the story that I tried to read it silently on my own instead of coloring, but I did not know enough of the new words to decipher what it said! (I made sure my kids learned phonics so this could never happen to them.)

Unfortunately, out of the six teachers I had from sixth to twelfth grades, only one of them taught any literature. Sad. But I will be forever grateful to Mrs. Wanda Waldeck for introducing me to Shakespeare, numerous poets, and Homer in tenth grade. God Bless you! I wish I had appreciated it more then as I do now.

I do remember my eighth grade English teacher requiring us to read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. It changed my life. Ever since, I have tried not to judge people on appearances, or “pre-judge”. I love it so much that I have read it about three more times since then, and I own the old movie starring Gregory Peck. It taught me about having convictions and doing what is right no matter what it may cost. Everyone should read it! It has a clear moral! You gotta love a book where the bad guy “gets it” in the end!