I've already mentioned that in the past few months I've read three different books by Nancy Pearcey. These have filled my commonplace book with great thoughts and I highly recommend all of them. So today I'm sharing another Pearcey quote:
I think Christians today are tempted to think that idolatry is an Old Testament problem. That's not the right way to look at it. Why is the first commandment "Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me"? Because we humans will put literally anything and everything before God. We can make anything into our god. Pearcey is skilled at cutting right to the heart of a matter. (I'm particularly recommending Saving Leonardo and Finding Truth. This quote came from one of those two, but I forgot to note which. I'm fairly sure it was Finding Truth.)
Recently Finished
Double Sin is a collection of short stories by Agatha Christie. The Theft of the Royal Ruby and Greenshaw's Folly are in this collection and both have been adapted for television. There are couple stories in this collection that demonstrate Christie's fascination with the supernatural or occult and I find those stories less well written than her others. Christie, as always, is what I read when I want the literary equivalent of comfort food.
Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi is a lovely memoir about a little girl growing up in pre-WW2 Japan. (The later part of book does deal with some of the effects of the war.) This would make a great read aloud. If you can imagine Ramona Quimby as a Japanese girl growing up in the 1930's, you have some idea of Totto-Chan's personality. The educational philosophies of Sosaku Kobayashi are inspirational and anyone interested in John Holt, Charlotte Mason, Classical Education, Montessori, or Waldorf ideas will probably be interested in reading about the school Kobayashi started in Japan.
Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology by Leah Remini is fascinating, occasionally hilarious, often disturbing reading. If you think Scientology is just a ridiculous, harmless Hollywood fad you need to read Going Clear by Lawrence Wright and then read Remini's memoir. (Note: Remini does curse fluently. This memoir would earn an R rating just for that if it were a movie.)
Recently Added
It's our church's VBS week. There isn't any time for adding extra books to my stack. {wink}
Current Read Aloud
Pollyanna by Eleanor Porter is our bedtime read aloud. If the Disney movie is all you know about Pollyanna, you really must read this. My girls are loving it, even those who voted against it when we were deciding our next read aloud. We're reading the paperback copy I had as a child. My own children are almost as fascinated by my address label on the inside cover, with my maiden name and childhood address as they are with the story.
In our morning read aloud time we've finished Archimedes and now we've moved on to Galen and the Gateway to Medicine. We're still reading aloud Famous Men of Rome and various picture books, too. (Summer doesn't mean not reading!)
Current Book to Review
Give Your Child the World is on its way, but it hasn't come in yet. I tend to be skeptical of these books that "all" the homeschool mom bloggers are talking about, but I'm trying to manage my expectations.
Current Kindle Deals
The Blackstar of Kingston is the prequel to the Green Ember. It's FREE for Kindle right now. My oldest (14) says they're good. She thinks the target audience is slightly younger than she is, but she's still enjoying the series.
On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson is $1.99 for Kindle right now. This is the first book in the Wingfeather Saga. I ordered this for my daughters, but they're saving it for our upcoming trip.
Cheaper By the Dozen by Frank & Ernestine Gilbreth is a family favorite (it was a contender for our next bedtime read-aloud) and it's also $1.99 for Kindle right now.
What are you reading now?
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