Books: Which way to go?

Most of you who know me, know how much I love to read. All the time, take one with me, read in line at the grocery store, movie theatre and I can go on. So, now I am the cooridnator for our CHurch's Reader's night and I love it- always have! We have found some wonderful books to discuss and I am even considering starting a Book Blog or kind of book club that friends and family from other places could do together (online book club, totally stole the ideas from the CARTER family - Thanks!).

One thing that has come up recently is this whole GOlden Compass thing. and I have to say, it is all true, but the way everything is being handled can be disturbing. I got the following review from the AFA website:

I saw the movie trailer months ago and decided to read the book it was based on because my children and I enjoy watching fantasy films together. I always prefer to read the book before seeing a movie. I was dumbstruck and morally outraged by what I read! I have one thing to say about Mr Pullman, whatever else he is, he is a masterful writer. Unfortunately, this book will go a long way in leading an entire generation of youth into atheism and satanism. Mr. Pullman may be a confessed atheist but in actuality most of the underlying themes of the trilogy (His dark materials)exemplify the satanic laws (see wikipedia article on the satanic church). The bottom line of this trilogy is to kill God, reenact the original sin, which by the way means the two main characters in the series, Lyra & Will (12 & 13) must have sex in order to "save mankind" - and to restore the balance of power from the controlling god who only wants to stamp out pleasure, enjoyment and freedom of expression to those who encourage learning and growth of self through exploration of the senses to the fullest extent. We should be warning EVERY christian organization about this movie and these books! The worst thing about these books (and movie) are that it professes the lie that God IS NOT the creator, he was only the first to come into existence and he usurped the power by lying to every creature created after him by telling them that he made them! If ever there was a book to censure, THIS IS IT!

I wanted to include it because it does tell the truth. me and Derick read these books about 8 years ago and the first and second are really engaging, then by the third, we were like " did what just happened really just happen???" We just gave the books away and warned people when we could. the trailer looks amazing, the movie is enticing. people are buying these books for their kids (I LOVE when kids read!) But these books bring to the front a very ugly topic to me: Atheism. I may be criticized by some that I love, but this whole theme is TERRIFYING to me. While I am a Christian and have a very defined testimony of how and in whom I believe, the thought of not believing in ANY support from above is empty and horrible.

I am not for banning books, or even telling people what not to read, but I think having the facts, and motive is very important. THings aren't always as innocent as they appear. I guess researching the author is a good idea. Harry Potter is fantastically entertaining- good versus evil with many spiritual ties and when you see the interviews with JK rowling, you can tell how she is motivated by wanting to get children to read and learn and love others. and of course some really conservative websites are slamming families that have allowed them in their homes for years and are now shocked by these Dark Materials books! Argh! YA fiction is my Favorite book genre, and it kills me that there is controversy and this kind of movement !

Anyway, just going through my mind! Up for my Church book group we have the following chosen for the next couple of months- btw I LOVE book lists and feel free to add some suggestions!!

December:
Christmas Stories (an Anthology) Edited by Tesdell, Diana
A beautiful little book ( has a ribbon and cloth binding and is really "cute")
an anthology of some of the world's greatest writers such as Tolstoy, Dickens, Capote, Runyon, Cather, Nabokov and more.
we're going to read Tolstoy, Dickens, Capote, Runyon first so that we can discuss those ,but if we read more, great, and if not- hey, it’s Christmas and we’re busy!

January:
My Grandfather’s Blessings: Stories of Strength, Refuge and Belonging by Rachel Naomi Remen
From Publishers WeeklyWhen she was four years old, Remen's grandfather brought her an unusual present: a paper cup of dirt, which he instructed her to water daily. She did, with increasing boredom, until she was astonished to find that a plant had sprouted. "My grandfather was a scholar of the Kabbalah, the mystical teachings of Judaism," Remen tells us. Through this exercise and others, he taught her that the "spark of God" exists, even in the most unpromising places. Through a series of unpretentious, affecting vignettes, the author of the bestseller Kitchen Table Wisdom encourages readers to recognize and celebrate the unexpected blessings in their own lives. Many of her recollections are linked to her experiences as a medical student and a physician working with cancer patients, but the most memorable ones relate to Remen's deep engagement with her grandfather, who died when she was seven. She gently illustrates her advice through simple yet powerful stories, such as that of a young woman whose husband helped her discover the real meaning of beauty years after her devastating mastectomy; of a widow who learned to cherish her husband's memory with love instead of with "a monument of pain"; and of a little boy who recognized that it's easier to love just a few toys than it is to love many. "Wisdom," Remen writes in this exceptional book, "lies in engaging the life you have been given as fully and courageously as possible and not letting go until you find the unknown blessing that is in everything."

February:
An Assembly such as This: Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman ( First book of a trilogy) by Pamela Aiken
A fantastic series based on the story of Pride and Predjudice written from the perspective on Darcy. If you are a true Austen fan, these are delightful and well written and as a very good friends says, "like reading chocolate"!

March:
Me, Myself, and Bob: A True Story About God, Dreams, and Talking Vegetables by Phil Vischer
A fantastic book about creativity, chasing a dream, running a business and gaining a testimony. This book can be shared with teens, adults, parents, business owners and so many more. It is moving, funny, heartbreaking and informative all while being incredibly spiritual. Phil Vischer is the creator of the fantastic VeggieTales franchise (that has a movie coming out in January- I have more info on that too if you want it!) and probably the best biography I have ever read (not a big fan of biographies). I also have an extensive collection of VeggieTales movies and cds if you want to become better acquainted!!!

April:
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
A great book about a young man who explores life and religion who is separated from his family while sailing from India to Canada. It is an adventure, a story of survival and creativity and has some interesting questions at the end.

May:
The Ladies #1 Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
From an Amazon reviewer
5 Stars is not enough!, May 2, 2003 By Lisa Bahrami (orlando, fl USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (Book 1) (Paperback)
I absolutely loved, loved, loved this book. It's technically classified as a mystery because the heroine, 30ish Precious Ramotswe, operates Botswana's first female-owned detective agency, The Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency.But to pigeonhole this sublime,wonderful book as just a mystery is to unjustly limit its appeal. Mma Ramotswe does solve a few cases, a lot of them involving matters of the heart, during the course of the book. She does so with integrity, a gentle sense of humor , compassion and just plain common sense. The mysteries are fun but what makes this book so special is the author's ability to weave together the themes of African tradition, nationhood, pride, simplicity and independence without being the least bit preachy . The writing is just so simple and beautiful and I found myself thinking about this book long after I finished it. It just stays with you. I've already read the second installment in this series, Tears of the Giraffe, and there is no doubt in my mind now that these books are destined to become classics. Anyone who likes mysteries, or anyone who enjoys just plain good writing will fall in love with Mma. Ramotswe. A superb book.

SUMMER-TBD
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Godwin
A long, but fantastic biography (my other favorite one) about one of the greatest leaders our country has ever had. His kindness, intelligence and ability to see the talents in others are truly moving and inspirational. I thought this would be great for he summer because of its length and an appropriate way to herald Independence Day and Memorial Day.


Possible changes:
My friend and former ward member, Jessica Day George, wrote a wonderfully charming and entertaining fantasy novel called Dragonslippers and she may come to our area next time.

So keep reading and tell me what you think, books suggestions etc.