triple play

Murder on Baker Street by various authors
Sherlock Holmes lives! Resurrected by renowned mystery authors, there are eleven new stories, with vampires, mysterious kidnappings, and treasure hunters.

Good. Some stories were definately better-written than others, and some picked up Doyle's style better than others. Such as A Hansom for Mr. Holmes, which is told from a cabbie's point of view and is never clear on what the actual problem is. This, of course, is not good. But that was only one story; all the rest were clear and kept me guessing!
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The Book of the Dun Cow by Walter Wangerin, Jr.
Chauntecleer the Rooster rules over a Coop in a small corner of the world. Unbeknownst to him, he is a keeper of Wyrm, a gigantic, oozing serpent locked in the middle of the earth. But Wyrm has a plan, and he creates thousands of basilisks and a Cockatrice, and Chauntecleer and his kingdom must fight for the world.

I know the story sounds stupid, but it was really a very good book. Chauntecleer was very nice to read about; he was a very full-formed character and didn't contradict himself.
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God's Messengers: the Making of the King James Bible by Adam Nicolson
When King James succeeds Queen Elizabeth as ruler of England, he comes into a country torn by religion. There are the Catholics, who attempt to return the country to Rome; and Anglicans, who are the favorites; and the Separatists, whom no one likes and eventually flee the country. James' dream was peace, and so he commissioned a peace-making Bible that would shape the world and be the standard for the rest to come.

Good. It was really interesting, how all those really different men- Puritan and Anglican and atheist- were really determined to make peace, and they made a beautiful book. It's really almost like poetry. It made me compare it to my NIV, and despite the easiness of the NIV, it seems like something was lost in the translating. The words don't mean quite as much to me.

The Paradoxes of Mr. Pond by G.K. Chesterton

Mr. Pond is an odd man who says things called paradoxes, without even realizing it. Such as: How did a general fail to complete his mission by his subordinates' complete obedience? Or, How are there difficulties in deporting a desirable alien? Such are the paradoxes. At first, they seem utterly at odds and complete nonsense, but as Mr. Pond tells the story behind each, you see that they make perfect sense.

Very good. Chesterton writes very well, thinking up riddles and solving them with impeccable English and good adjectives. I like his description of Mr. Pond- Mr. Pond looks like a fish with a beard, and the description is so well-done that Mr. Pond is in your head, clear as day.

Merry Christmas!
And- dare I say it?- Happy Birthday, Jesus!

O Pioneers! by Willa Cather

Alexandra Bergson has lived on the land and worked it since her father's death. Sixteen years later, she is the most prosperous landowner on the Divide, a valley that stretches across the Nebraska prairie. She has three brothers, a childhood friend, and a beautiful friend. Her love of the land keeps her through the hardships that come.

So sad! Cather makes everyone so real, and it is much worse when trouble comes to them than in average books. I spent a good fifteen minutes after I finished it staring at the wall, because I could see it in my head. Alexandra is the feminist, the woman who can stand on her own and prospers, but she is still human. Even Cather, who was a civil rights activist, could not say that when women were independent they were perfectly happy.

Zero: the History of a Dangerous Idea by Charles Seife

Zero- cultures have feared it, banned it, revered it, and finally accepted it. It is infinity's twin. The Church believed it first to be heresy, then to prove God's existence. It is the number that is needed for calculus, the math of nature, but also is the center of black holes. Seife explores the number's history, from Aristotle to Albert Einstein and beyond.

Very good. It was very interesting- the Greeks didn't like zero because it didn't fit in with their philosophies; Christians didn't like it because they thought it was contradicting God's nature; but the Mayans' first day of each month was the zero-eth day. It was all about religion. The Hindus worshipped it as part of a god, Shiva. It's like Copernicus- when we think something messes with our doctrine, we try to ignore it and call everyone who believes in it heretics.
Believe in zero.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett

Something is wrong in the city of Ankh-Morpork. Two old men are found dead, the city's ruler is poisoned every night, and golems, the city's clay slaves, are smashing themselves to bits. Sir Samuel Vimes, Commander of the City Watch, is in charge of the investigation, but even he is having a hard time....

Good. Terry Pratchett has a lot of imagination, but I think that sometimes it gets in the way of his writing. This is one of his more articulate books. It made me think: the city likes its golems because they can't talk, they work without pay, food, or board, and they work fast. Definitely slavery. And so they get extremely worked up when Dorfl is given words. Maybe we have a lesson to learn on slavery, folks.

Go NaNoWriMo! (National Novel Writing Month)

Hooray for NaNo! In November, thirty days, the goal is to write fifty thousand words. This is my second year, and I'm getting pretty exited. Yay!

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I'm working on getting my reporting skills back up to standards. Bear with me. Sorry.

long time no see

The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr., edited by Clayborne Carson
King was born in the late twenties. He grew up in a segregated, racist America, where his family could not vote and had no rights and their friends lived in ghettos. When in college, he read Marx, Lenin, and Nietzsche looking for the answer to the social evils he lived with. He found it in the nonviolence of Gandhi, and throughout his ministries for rights for blacks and the poor, he always used this doctrine. He founded the movements that led to the outlawing of segregation, black votes, and open housing. He was and is an inspiration for America.

Very good. I have never heard of all that MLK did, and it made me think. Lots of it made me mad and sad. How different would America be if we resorted to nonviolence? Maybe we wouldn't have had messes like Korea and Vietnam and Iraq. What would we be like if things were still segregated? Maybe I'd think minorities were trash. What can we do about social problems? Maybe we could buy less stuff and donate the rest, or give what we already have to Salvation Army. Maybe we can help streetkids get homes. Maybe we could take meals to sick people. A man came to my school one time. His was the first black family in Norman, and they lived on the 'wrong' side of town. They lived through some tough times. I've got black friends. What if they lived like that? Would I do anything about it? I hope I would have. We need to act more on what he taught- the Gospel, love and grace and community and hope. Maybe if everyone did, we'd all be better people and have a better country. We should try.

The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkein

In the Beginning was Eru, and he made the Valar, who in turn made Arda, the world. But Morgoth was prideful and began to destroy the others' work and make his own evil things. Feanor, dwelling in the Blessed Land, makes three jewels, called the Silmarillion, and Morgoth seizes his chance to begin a war that will last for two ages and more.

Very good. Possibly my favorite Tolkein. I do wish, though, that it were less...complicated. There are a lot of people in that book, and most of them have at least two names, and then all their names translated into Sindarin or Quenya- the elves' languages. Very complicated, awesome giants. So it was confusing. And there seemed to be a lot of people going mad and killing people needlessly. There was a lot of killing in general. Naturally, I was not overjoyed with this. The whole thing was rather Norse. But you should still definately read it. All the better because it's hard to find.

School started Thursday. A good first two days. I hope it keeps up.

West into the Night by Beryl Markham

An autobigraphy: Markham grew up on a farm and horse-training place in British East Africa. When she was fifteen her father had to sell their land and she moved north, and trained horses for races. After she had one a major race with the horse Wise Child, she met Tom Black, a pilot. He taught her how to fly.

Very good writing. Africa! I'll go there someday. Zimbabwe and Cairo and Kenya and Victoria Falls. I think I would like to fly someday, too. Markham writes so well, I was there. Saw the Atlantic underneath me and heard the motor die. Saw Buller and the boar. Read this book.

Anna's birthday is today. We're going to the OKC zoo.

Skybreaker by Kenneth Oppel

Floating 20,000 feet above the rest of the world is the Hydrion, a ledgendary airship containing huge amounts of treasure. Lots of people are willing to kill to find it, but only one person in the world has its coordinates.

Good. Not as good as Airborn, I think. Not as interesting. Maybe too unbelievable. This probably sounds weird coming from someone who passionately defends King Arthur and dragons, but this book is sci-fi, and should have some...fact? I don't know what to call it.

Making zucchini bread today. This is the second round of making zucchini bread with a 16 inch vegetable. Never seen one so big.

Airborn by Kenneth Oppel

Matt Cruse is pretty happy with the life he has- a cabin boy on a nine hundred feet long, fourteen-story high luxury passenger ship, one that doesn't have to worry about gigantic freighters plowing the ocean. It sails eight hundred feet above them in the sky. Then one night he spies a hot air balloon whose pilot speaks of creatures totally real and utterly mysterious.

Very good. I really don't think of airships very often. I guess they were only around for about twenty years, and ended with the Hindenburg. But the author must have a really good imagination- cloud cats, airships, light as air! Especially recommended for pirates and sci-fi people.

"Lighter than air, that's our Mr. Cruse."

School starts tomorrow for Norman Public and Ou; Thursday for me! Ha! ha!

Spindle's End

Princess Briar-Rose has been spelled by the wicked fairy Pernicia so that on her twenty-first birthday she will prick her finger on a spinning wheel, and die. The princess is rescued by Katriona, a village fairy. She is brought up as Rosie, a village maiden, and defies the spell for twenty years by her sheer ordinariness- a horse-leech, unable to sing, dance, or work a spell, and something that is not normal: she talks to animals. But what everyone thinks and does not say is, How in the world is our princess going to do this?

Very good. I like that everything is magic, but they are still most definately human. Katriona is one of the best fairies in the Gig, but she is a chronic worrier. Rosie is a cursed princess, but she does not know this and loves the horses. The mark of a good writer. McKinley is one of my favorites. Check out The Blue Sword and The Outlaws of Sherwood too.

Veritas starts in 9 days?!

Weather Thoughts

Will we have eighties and seventies into November, to even things out? And then a really cold winter? Oklahoma's so weird. No one knows.

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

The curtain rises on the Paris Opera and the singer holds people spellbound with her voice. Two men lover her: one, the brother of a count, and the other, the mysterious Opera ghost who haunts the building. The opera managers do not believe in ghosts, and they are quickly plunged into misfortune, though they continue to ignore it. The singer, Christine, prefers to believe in her Angel of Music. The count's brother prefers to think of dueling the ghost. Things begin to spiral.
NOTE: The back of my copy says on the back that there is a tragic ending. This is not entirely accurate. It rather spoiled my reading- kept on waiting for everyone to die.

Very good. I wonder how the play/movies measure up. Erik was pitifully hideous, Raoul stupid, and Christine the right amount of crazy/good/concious-stricken. A good read.

I quoth, 'Shakespeare' and I unquoth

If you cannot understand my argument, and declare, 'It's Greek to me', you arre quoting Shakespeare; if you claim to be more sinned against than sinning, you are quoting Shakespeare,; if you recall your salad days, you are quoting Shakespeare; if you act more in sorrow than in anger, if your wish is father to the thought, if your lost property has vanished into thin air, you are quoting Shakespeare; if you have ever refused to budge an inch or suffered from green-eyed jealousy, if you have played fast and loose, if you have knitted your brows, made a virtue of necessity, insisted on fair play, slept no one wink, stood on ceremony, danced attendance (to your lord and master), laughed yourself into stitches, had short shrift, cold comfort or too much of a good thing, if you have seen better days, or lived in a fool's paradise- why, be that as it may, the more fool you, fore it is a foregone conclusion that you are (as good luch would have it) quoting Shakespeare; if you thing it is early days and clear out bag and baggage, if you think i is high time and that that is the long and short of it, if you believe that the game is up and that truth will out even if it involves your own flesh and blood, if you lie low till the crack of doom because you suspect foul play, if you have your teeth set on edge (at one fell swoop) without rhyme or reason, then- to give the devil his due- if the truth were known (for surely you have a tongue in your head) you are quoting Shakespeare; even if you bid me good riddance and send me packing, if you wish I was dead as a door-nail, if you thing I ame an eyesore, a laughing stock, the devil incarnate, a stony-hearted villain, bloody-minded or a blinking idiot, then- by Jove! O Lord! tut, tut! for goodness' sake! what the dickens! but me no buts- it is all one to me, for you are quoting Shakespeare.
-Bernard Levin, quoted in The Story of English

The Story of English by Robert McCrum, Robert MacNeil, and William Cran

The not-too-dense book from roughly 400 AD to today. We follow the ever-changing ways of the world's top language across every continent -except of course Antartica- from the Anglo-Saxon invasion of England to the Norman conquest to American English, down to the Caribbean creole, across the Atlantic for African pidgin and Krio, then down to the Aussie Aboriginal English. We hear of Japlish, Franglais, and Singlish. Perhaps in another one hundred years the whole world will be English, or maybe it will be remembered as Latin- useful, but mostly dead.

Very interesting. Liked the bits about creole and the Celts and the Australians- I always like Celts, creole is neat to listen to, and the Aussies despise English spellings- but only most of the time. I regard it as amazing that about sixteen hundred years can be packed into one reasonably sized book.
Jessie/Tonks- numerous people have mentioned as I was reading this that you like this kind of thing. Let's talk.

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy

In 1792, Marguerite, the 'cleverest woman in Europe', is married to 'that demmed idiot' Sir Percy Blakeney. It is during the French Revolution, and everyone on both sides of the Channel is looking for the Scarlet Pimpernel, the daring man who rescues aristos right from under the nose of the people's guards. Marguerite is blackmailed into searching for him, and she finds it much worse than she could ever have imagined.

Now No. 21 of Favorite Books. It's great how we have the first superhero double-identity guy, but during the French Revolution and without superpowers. Baroness Orczy forfeits some of her glory, though, with describing the Pimpernel's disguise of a Jew with contempt.

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger is No. 22. I suspect that there will really be no end to the list.

Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott

The lovely Jewess Rebecca and the Saxon lady Rowena are being held captive in a castle with their fathers. Due to his jester's wit, Rowena's father Cedric escapes and gets the help of the merry band of Robin Hood and Richard the Lionheart to help him.

Good. Concentration is necessary, though- don't attempt to read while watching TV. It was awful how Rebecca was condemned just for being a Jew, and Aethelstane's resuscitation just didn't make sense.

Resuscitation is a good word

Answering Comment:

S. Schupack: I'm not quite sure I don't like Wuthering Heights, but at the same time, I'm not sure I do. That doesn't make any sense. Sorry.

If anyone for some reason happens to call Dan Serven of Ozark, MO, owner of Haminha and Cedar Lane, wish him a happy late birthday. Note: not answering a comment.

A word for J.K. Rowling

In some ways, J.K. is like J.R.R. Tolkein. True, Tolkein would have despised her blending of magic and Muggles- he hated the Narnia books, which were published by his best friend- but they have their similarities. Tolkein wrote the first 'fantasy' book and introduced the world to elves, dragons, and goblins, which were reasonably familiar from fairy tales, but unthinkable for books. Now they are commonplace. He created the fantasy genre. He invented numerous languages, hobbits, orcs, and Nazgul. Rowling brought back some of the old ideas of magic- wands and spells. She invented everything from Gurdyroots to incantations to house elves. Imagine, in ten or twenty years, if you buy a new release, and there are dementors and Crumple-Horned Snorkacks in it. And you'll say, Yep, I know where this comes from. Rowling's a classic now, overpriced right alongside Dante and Lewis. I bought them the minute they came out. Yep. So, readers, although we disagree with some of Rowling's writing, maybe we should watch our mouthes, because perhaps the next generation of writers will keep it alive in their works.

Hamlet, by William Shakespeare

Hamlet: Hamlet, a prince of Denmark, is driven mad by his father's ghost, who makes him believe that his uncle Claudius, his father's brother, killed him. The Ghost says that Claudius killed him, and then married his wife. Hamlet is insane with rage, and because of this, causes his lover, Ophelia, to commit suicide. Ophelia's brother decides to kill Hamlet. Hamlet is bent on killing Claudius, and wouldn't be too fussed if his mother dies as well. There is the inevitable showdown.

Good/creepy/scary. I'm not quite sure whether I liked it. It's the same feeling I was given by Wuthering Heights- confused and creeped out. I felt very sorry for Ophelia. Driven mad by the death of her father and Hamlet- so she commits suicide. Very tragic, but perhaps she could have thought about a better alternative. An unmistakeable tragedy.
Thought it was neat that 'soft' for Shakespeare meant 'hold still, wait'.

Favorite Books

These are my Top 20, in no particular order:
1) The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
2) Summerland by Michael Chabon
3) Luther the Reformer by James M. Kittleson
4) 1776 by David MacCullough
5) The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein
6) A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L'Engle
7) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
8) The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo
9) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
10) The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett
11) The Three Musketeers by Alexandar Dumas
12) Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, translated by J.R.R Tolkein
13) The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkein
14) A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
15) A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L'Engle
16) The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley
17) The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
18) The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
19) The Count of Monte Christo by Alexandar Dumas
20) The Once and Future King by T.H. White

Germany and the Czech Republic

For those who don't know, I went up the Elbe River on a cruise boat in June. We went from Prague up to Berlin.
I really don't know where my favorite places were, but I've tried for top three, in no particular order:
1)Worlitz Park, Worlitz, GER. Worlitz is a town an hour's drive from Berlin. There is a huge man-made canal/lagoon system, and they have gondola tours. Amazingly beautiful.
2)Berlin, GER. Huge gray stone buildings, cathedrals, a ten-story department store from Paris, the Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, wienerschitzel...la!
3)Prague, CZ. The City of a Hundred Spires. Walked on the Charles Bridge and through the town, though regrettably- as far as I can remember- no churches. There is a water mark on most of the houses, about four feet high- the city is regularly flooded by the Vltava

I loved meeting the people, seeing the sights, snapping pictures like mad, and trying the food. We also got to try our hand at foreign shopping- all my luggage got lost on the way to Prague! So now I have a collection of foreign shirts, though interesting, they are still MADE IN CHINA.
Thanks and Hooray to everyone, whoever you are!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling [at last!]

Voldemort is on the rise, Dumbledore is dead, and Harry is faced with the enormous challenge of destroying three more Horcruxes. Eventually, he must face the Dark Lord, and do something none would dream of.
But I'm not telling you anymore! Read it, peoples!

So. All that 'junk' in the last few books has turned out to be not junk at all. The crown on the bust; the locket in the cupboard; the fairy story. It would greatly interest me to know how in the world J.K. thinks of these things!!! The woman's a genius!!! Hooray!

I suppose I have succeeded in telling you nothing useful. You have to read it for yourselves. But I suspect that you would have read it anyways, no matter what I say. We can discuss our joys and annoyances later.

five weeks' worth of book reports!

So. Germany and the Czech Republic and Branson and D.C. Lots of books.

My Antonia by Willa Cather
Antonia is a Czech immigrant in the Nebraska plains, where she befriends Jim. They are fast friends, but circumstances change and hard times come. Both change, for better and for worse.

Good. The description was lovely. Amazing. It seems like a few things needed to be changed, though- what happens to the murderer? Never is he mentioned. What happens to his family? They are never mentioned. The ending flops, too. But over all a very nice book.
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George Elliot by Kathryn Hughes
Marianne Evans was born in 1819 as a sullen, petty child. She was a Puritan, and hated the Christmas celebrations' 'frivolity'. She slowly changed, though, into an atheist. She wrote her first book,Adam Bede , under the pen name of George Elliot, and continued to use it for most of her life. She was attention-hungry and strained many a relationship because of it. She was 'married' to George Lewes for sixteen years, and then to for the last three months of her life.

Interesting. She was an amazingly odd person. I'm glad I didn't write to her; she was no fun to her pen pals. And being married to someone who has another wife who has another husband. Ick. A slow read.
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Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Catherine Earnshaw, the lady, and Heathcliff, the waif, make a strange pair, but they will not be separated from each other. Heathcliff is deemed violent, and Catherine married off to a lord. Neither can stand it. Cathy becomes insane and Heathcliff runs away, to leave their problems for the younger generation.

Strange. It was scary, but not nightmarish...shivery, maybe. The way Catherine goes mad and Heathcliff forgets, and then you're afraid it's going to happen all over again with Cathy and Hareton. But it doesn't. Good.
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The Pilgrim's Regress by C.S. Lewis
This was Lewis's first book after his conversion, and records his trip to salvation. John sees an island, the perfect island, Paradise, and he sets off to find it. He meets people such as Mr. Enlightenment, Mr. Humanist, and Mother Kirk, in such places as the Valley of Humiliation and the city of Thrill as he journeys to this mysterious place.

Good. I think it was just as good as Pilgrim's Progress. Lewis is perfect with allegories. He can think of things that fit, and make sense, and people know about, and make them represent things that you would never have thought of, and it works. Mother Kirk should have been talked about a little more, though.
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The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester
The obsessions of two remarkable and very different men led to the making of the book that defined many of the words we know today. The book, begun in 1857 and taking seventy more years, was one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken. Professor James Murray headed the project, and discovered that a chief contributor was confined in an asylum.

Very good. I liked that the word definitions and the dictionary were tied to someone as strange as Dr. Minor. It is rather ironic, though, that if he had not been confined he would not have contributed, and if he had not contributed, he would not have become even worse. Is that a paradox?
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A Portrait of Jesus by Joseph Gerizone
Father Gerizone has attempted to get inside the heads of Jesus and his followers. What it would be like to walk all over Israel, what his disciples thought of Jesus. There is also a lot of tolerance to Jews and Muslims preached.

Interesting. I find, though, that he skipped-or almost skipped-four major parts of the Gospel- the incarnation, the crucifixion, the resurrection, and the ascension. How can a portrait of Christ be complete without these? Now, I think it's fine to have people of different faiths as friends, but can you accept them as influences on your church, on your decisions? I don't think so, but then, I am a very opinionated almost-thirteen, and other opinions would be appreciated.

WOW! LOTS OF REPORTS! PHEW!

The Narnian: the Life and Imagination of C.S. Lewis by Alan Jacobs

Clive Staples Lewis was born in 1898. At the age of four he told the family that he would not answer to anything but Jack, and Jack he remained to friends and family until his death. As a boy he and his brother, Warnie, would make up an imaginary world of Boxen. Lewis liked nothing other than reading a good book, and was very introverted. He hated school. This is probably the cause for Eustace's and Jill's horrible school. In 1914 he began working with a tutor, who declared that his translation abilities were amazing and that he had read more classics than anyone he had ever known. He considered himself an atheist, but gradually became a Christian. He did, however, continue living with a Mrs. Moore, who was twenty years older than he, until her death in the fifties. He became an Oxford don, met J.R.R Tolkein, began the Inklings, wrote many books, and married Joy Gresham. He died on November 22, 1963, and, between him and Tolkein, started a new era of literature.

Very good. I hadn't known about Mrs. Moore, or half of everything else, either. His favorite sound was 'adult male laughter'. Many fantasy writers hate him because they are atheists and find his very pronounced views of Christianity- the 'pie in the sky by and by' view- maddening. This was interesting. Wouldn't you be glad that you had eternal life? Except, of course, if you're an atheist, which would mean that you thought it was dumb. Hmm.

I GO TO GERMANY TODAY!!!!!!!!

Tolkein: a biography by Michael White

John Ronald Reul Tolkein was born in South Africa in 1892. His parents died when he was young, but before she died his mother managed to make him firm in the Catholic Church. He was very good in school and interested in rugby. When he was twelve, he began to learn Middle English and Anglo-Saxon. He was married to Edith Bratt in 1916, a year when many people were not sure how long the war would last, or if they would survive it. Both did, and the war played a large part in The Lord of the Rings. Tolkein wanted to create a mythology for England, who only had the King Arthur tales. He succeeded. He created a work that is still regarded as amazing, and is able to make the reader feel as if they are in Middle Earth. He made his own languages. He died in 1973, known across the world.

Good. I found out a lot of things I didn't know: he was a Catholic (I'd always assumed he was Anglican); he moved twelve times in two years; the first publishers of The Lord of the Rings printed a very small number of copies because they did not think it would sell well; Tolkein despised The Chronicles of Narnia; etc. It seemed kind of short, but I don't know which part I would like more of.
It is recommended that one read The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings before this.

Jane Eyre makes more sense now. Thanks

Florida books

The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo
Quasimodo the hunchback, Dom Claude the priest, and Phoebus the captain are all in love with Esmeralda, the gypsy. They all react in different ways, though: Quasimodo can't do anything because he is partially blind, deaf, and mostly mute; Dom Claude tries to kill her, and Phoebus is almost murdered. It is really very interesting.

Very good. The ending was sad, but it couldn't have ended any other way and still have made sense. That makes me pretty sure that Disney screwed it up, even though the first and only time I have ever watched it was when I was five. Pierre was good.

Notre Dame is spelled so weird.
French is weird.
Did I spell weird right?

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Jane is a plain governess orphan who is working for Mr. Rochester, and odd, proud, man. He is like his house. Many nights there is eery laughter from the attic. Someone tries to murder him twice. He and Jane fall in love with each other, and try to marry each other. Of course, there are problems.

Good, but there is no good reason that Mr. Rochester has for loving her. He doesn't seem like the kind of man to love a plain woman. It kind of ruins the story if you realize that the actual story doesn't make sense. I would love it if someone gave me an explanation.
Why is there so much French? Maybe lots of people back then could read French out of a book. I can't. I would try to read German, though. St. John makes no sense. I'm glad he's not my brother.

school's out!

When the Bluebonnets Come by John J. Dwyer

Katie Shanahan and her family live in Cotton Patch, Texas. Her father is the pastor of a small Presbyterian church. Word comes that rich people from Dallas are going to build a casino and a 'family entertainment center' right in Cotton Patch. Immediately the town and even the Shanahan's church is divided. People stop talking to each other, and buildings are purposely burnt. But through it all, miracles happen.

Very good. I was a little confused in some places, but that was soon fixed. It made me feel like I would cry. That is a thing I've only done with maybe three books, this being the third. It is a mark of its goodness.

GOING TO FA TOMORROW! YAAAAAAY!
Yet all things must come at a price. Finals begin tomorrow morning, and I have to take them in Florida.

Witch Week by Diana Wynne Jones

Mr. Crossley recieves an alarming note one day: SOMEONE IN 6B IS A WITCH. This is bad because, as everyone knows, witches are burned at the stake. But Mr. Crossley decides to ignore it. Soon he regrets this. A parrot appears during music, there is a Simon Says spell, and the entire boarding school's shoes appear in the hall. The inquisitor is sent for. But he is not what everyone expects....

Good. An easy read. It was neat that everything was because of Guy Fawkes' day, which was also kind of odd, because it's a British holiday. Would that mean that only all the magic in Britain was because of Guy Fawkes' day? Would ours be because of the Fourth of July, or something?

I like the word odd.

It's almost time for Summer Conference! Yay!

To turi: what is Germanism?

Volume I of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

When the police are baffled, people of every kind of social status come to the amazing Sherlock Holmes. WIth his extraordinary knowledge of tobacco kinds, gossip, the London underground, and other miscellaneous areas, he catches his victim nearly every time. WIth the help of his faithful companion, Watson, he unravels the mysteries of A Study in Scarlet, The Five Orange Pips, The Yellow Face, and The Speckled Band. All are told by Watson.

Very good. It is amazing that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle could think of these things! I mean, telling that shots were not suicidal and murderous and that the lady is not lying by the fact that there is a third bullet in the wall, knowing what a man looks like by the distance of his footsteps from each other, on and on! A few things that annoyed me, though: the stories were not arranged in any chronological order, and there were allusions to cases that were not in the book. Maybe they're in volume two.

What kind of name is Sherlock Holmes?!
A pretty cool one.

Silas Marner by George Elliot

Silas Marner is cast out of his brotherhood after being falsely accused of killing the deacon and stealing church money. He goes to Ravloe and is known there as being the odd old weaver from somewhere else. He is very rich after fifteen years in Raveloe, and every night he counts his golden guineas. But on Christmas Eve he finds gold of a different sort: Eppie.

Good. Elliot (who was really a woman)describes Marner perfectly: before Eppie, he is a nearsighted, shrunken man with a sallow face and suspicious eyes, then he regains some vision and straightens up and smiles more. It is obvious that Eppie is good for him. That helps you get mad at Godfrey later. It all fits!

I have discovered the uses of the colon, and found that I like it a lot.

Island of the Aunts by Eva Ibbotson

Three women who live on an island have a scary thought: if tree frogs and rainforests can become extinct, why not them? And if they become extinct, what will happen to all the things on the island? For there are a lot of strange things there- mermaids, stoorworms, boobries, and a selkie. So they kidnap three children (but one wasn't supposed to be kidnapped) to help them. Fabio and Minette learn how to de-oil the mermaids, take care of the boobrie, and feed the baby seals. It is because of them that the kraken comes, bringing his son to leave with them. The Great London Aunt Hunt has begun to search for the kidnappers. This becomes a very bad thing, but you have to read the book. It's very good, don't worry.

I like the humor. It's British, which is much better than American. She says funny things, like the extinction idea, which is probable, only we don't say extinction; and they are British, so they call the bathroom the loo, which is a ridiculous word. I like Herbert. Selkies aren't used in stories enough. He's not a Herbert, though. He needs a more interesting name. Herbert is what you name a bystander who doesn't do much.

I have a goal: I will beat Christopher Paolini and publish a book before he did. This is a goal that goes along with getting a Newfoundland and owning a bookmark from every country.
Good, huh?

1776 by David McCullough

1776: This is the story of the Revolutionary War's first year. General George Washington led his army through glorious victories and humiliating defeats. He crossed rivers three times, twice out from under the noses of the British. Henry Knox performed the feat declared impossible- hauling fifty cannons from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston in the dead of winter. Nathanael Greene, a Quaker made general in his thirties, won great battles, as did the British general William Howe. This war shaped America.

Very good, but a little confusing. Washington crossed three rivers, and each time I thought it was the Delaware. That was the last. I had never heard of a lot of the battles and people, so Greene and Knox were nice surprises. Recommended

catching up with one thing to catch up on over the past month?!

The Ledgend of the Celtinc Stone by Michael Phillips

The ancient Stone of Scone has been stolen from right under the noses of everyone in London. The leader of a Parliament faction has been murdered. No one knows the culprits. Andrew Trentham and Patricia (Paddy) Rawlings are taken on a roundabout search for the Stone, discovering along the way Scotch roots, the murderer, and other interesting things.

Cool. I enjoyed the stories about Genevra and Wanderer and Foltlaig. They made sense (but maybe only because I don't know much Celt history), and it was nice to hear about old civilizations that not many people think much about.
As you have probably guessed, this is historical fiction (or factual fantasy (or improbable history))
Double parentheses. I've always wanted to do that. I'm not quite sure if I used it right, though. Oh, well.

Did any of that make any sense?

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!
Read How the Irish Saved Civilization by Thomas Cahill.

Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott

Rose Campbell comes to the Aunt-hill tired and sick. Her guardian, uncle Alec, decides to make her a healthy young woman. Except his idea of a fashionable lady is rather different than most peoples.

Okay. It wasn't as good as Little Woman. It didn't have enough of a story.

Going to Missouri!

a very cool word

I was looking for a synonym of 'ring' in the thesaurus, and I found the neatest word I've heard in a long time:
TINTINNBULATE!
v. to ring or sound a bell.
From Latin, tintinnabulum, 'small bell'. (How we got to ring the bell out of simply 'bell', I don't know)
You can look it up.

Luther the Reformer: the story of the man and his career by James M. Kittleson

Martin Luther was born on November 10, 1483. His birth was so unknown that later he and some of his friends debated the date. He began school intending to be a lawyer, but after a few years vowed to become a monk. He was not a very happy monk, feeling weighed down by his sin. The Catholic procedures didn't seem to help. So he began to think, and slowly he thought of revolutinary ideas that led to the posting of The 95 Theses. Soon the whole Roman Empire had heard of him, and he was summoned to various councils, diets, and meetings. He wrote books on the demonic qualities of the pope and the Roman Church, the sins of indulgences and confessionals, and the need for a new church. He firmly stood by his beliefs to his death in1547. He was born an unknown pauper and died well-off and was mourned all across the Empire.

Good. It was easy to read, but also gave a pretty thorough background of his beliefs. It probably wouldn't be enough information for die-hard Lutherans, but it was good enough for me. I now know a lot more than I did, which was the point.

Apparently Happy needs to be potty-trained again. Yuk.

Winter Rose by Patricia A. McKillip

Rois Melior has always wandered freely through the wood by her house. One day she meets Corbet Lynn. Soon rumors begin to fly about him. His father murdered his grandfather, and his grandfather's last words were supposedly a curse. Rois is curious, and begins looking for clues. She findes herself caught in a whirlwind of curses, the past, and the cruel winter.

Good. It's scary in a nice, shivery way. It's a little confusing because there's a lot of stuff going on, but you'll figure it out.

story part IV

Suddenly Bran was standing alone in a gray clearing, looking at a smooth rock. The cave had vanished. He went home wondering about his father. He tried to ask Gwen over dinner.
“Mother, I...I was wondering about my father. Please tell me about him.”
Gwen turned white. “He died,” she said thickly. “He’s dead. Leave the dead alone!”
“But-”
“No! I will not talk about him!”
Bran angrily got up from his chair and strode out the door. He walked aimlessly for a while, forgetting the cold in the heat of his anger. Sigurd had said that part of his quest was to find out about his father. Maybe his mother could not tell because of Sigurd. It would not be very hard to find out if his mother sat down and told him. No, he would have to find it from another source. He went back to the cottage and climbed in bed.
He and Rhys spent a lot of time together. They flew Kirsa, walked in the forest, sometimes Rhys would come to the moor and keep Bran company as he watched the sheep, or Bran would help Rhys on the farm. Their mothers got to know each other, and sometimes did laundry together. Rhys had two little sisters that he often had to watch. Bran had none and enjoyed watching their antics.
One time all four went out together to hunt for berries. Suddenly the oldest, Eira, came running toward them. Her normally pale complexion was ashen.
“Enid’s fallen in the river!” she gasped. “She can’t swim!”
The boys ran to the water, and scanned it for the girl.
“There!” cried Rhys, already jumping in. Bran ran down the river. He had a piece of cord in his pocket. Tying it around first a thick tree and then his waist, he too plunged in. He had had very little experience with swimming, and was thankful that the rope was strong. Rhys had spent some time in a nearby pond, and had already reached Enid. He struggled to get out of the currant. Bran stretched and grabbed his hand. Praying that the rope would hold, he pulled them in.
All were sopping and shivering and coughing, but for some reason elated. Bran wondered if Sigurd had had something to do with it. It was a miracle that little Enid had lasted so long in the roiling water that the rope had not snapped, that he had been able to reach Rhys. And indeed, he heard a rustling of a cloak and saw a flash of white hair.
Rhys gathered the frightened Enid into his arms and they walked back to the village. Rhys’ mother, Rhian, was working in the field as they approached. She was working vigorously with the hoe, and perspiration beaded her forehead. She looked up; saw the shivering children and Enid lying in Rhys’ arms. She gasped and ran forward.
“What happened? Enid, darling, are you all right?”
“She fell in the river,” said Bran as Rhian scooped up the girl. “I think she’s all right.”
And indeed, Enid looked fine. “Mother! I fell in the river! Rhys and Bran got me out all right, but I lost my bracelet Eira made.”
“Come inside,” said Rhian, “You must get dry else you’ll catch cold. Never mind the bracelet, Enid.”
“Thank you, mistress, but I should get home,” said Bran. “I’ll see you soon!”

Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibotson

Maia is an orphan living at a girls' school in London. She finds out that she has relatives in Manaus, Brazil. They offer to take her. Along with her governess, Miss Minton, she realizes that her family has only taken her for her money, and really doesn't care about her. She makes friends with an actor, a boy running away from his inheritance, and a few Indians. Her family disapproves, but even they cannot keep her from following her heart.

Really good. Ibbotson's books are hard to start, but once you do they are great. Like you find that Maia doesn't want to go to Brazil, and that her governess was fired from her former job for caning a boy. Great. Then you find out that her cousins are pigs and their parents are crazy. Now there's something of a plot. Then you're hooked.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy all have their own troubles in the mid-eighteen hundreds. Meg longs for nice dresses and jewlery. Tomboy Jo is quick to get angry. Gentle Beth longs for a nice piano to practice her music on, and Amy longs to be a rich and famous artist. They manage to overcome these and be come their father's little women.

I liked it. I was a little worried at first, because I had read Pride and Prejudice and that was rather difficult, but it was very easy to understand. Their problems weren't so different from ours, except of course Dad isn't in Iraq, and I'm glad. I liked that they called Laurence Laurie. That was fun.

Story part III

Sorry it's taken me so long.
One day she sent him into the forest to fetch wood for the fire. Winter was coming on, and the wood was bleak and uninviting. His breath steaming from his mouth, he trudged to a fallen tree and began to hack at it with his axe. As he was stacking up logs to carry home, he heard a wheezy sound nearby. An old man carrying a heavy bundle staggered into view.
“Please,” he gasped “Please help me, young man.”
Bran strode forward to receive the sack. The man gestured for him to follow, and began walking. As he trailed the stranger, a note of uncertainty knelled in his heart. How did he know this man was a friend? Some of the villagers did not trust him and Gwen.
He followed the man into the heart of the forest. They reached a large cave cut into the rock.
“Inside,” said the man. His voice was warm and kind, a flame on the cold day. Bran sat down as the man lit a fire. A peregrine falcon landed on the man’s shoulder, and he stroked it as he sat down opposite Bran.
“You are wondering who I am and why I brought you here,” said the man. “It certainly wasn’t for firewood. Some have called me Sigurd, and I will teach you how to survive your quest.”
“I’m not on a quest,” said Bran.
“Everyone has a quest. It is different for everyone, harder for some than others, but they have one. Yours is difficult...you have the weight of the kingdom on your shoulders, boy.” They sat in silence for a while. Bran watched the falcon.
“What is its name?”
“He is Ingegerd. He brings thunder with him, and guides those who are lost back to the paths. Look, his wings are silver like lightning.”
“You said I have a quest. Can you tell me about it?”
Sigurd sighed. “Everyone asks that, and I must say no to each. Your father could not have been the man he was if I had told him his destiny.”
“You knew my father?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Please, tell me about him. My mother will not say anything except that he died in the war.”
Sigurd seemed shocked. “She will not tell you?” he murmured. “Maybe I should not either, then. Hmmm....”
“Sigurd-”
“No. I will not tell you. That is part of your quest. You must find out who your father was, and to find the true king. Now go. Gwen will be worried. Don’t come back until you receive my sign.”

Homesick: My Story by Jean Fritz

Jean has lived in China all her life, but she longs to be 'American'. Her life seems to be a hodge-podge (!)of different cultures. They pray for King George at school, speaking Chinese on the banks of the Yangse, speaking English at home. Several small problems occur, but they are fixed pretty quickly, until the biggest thing of all happens: war.

I liked it. I don't hear a lot about China, and found it interesting historically. But Jean Fritz is also a great writer. She is funny, and knows how to make things that were rather boring in other books good. I have not read a biography that I really liked for a long time (not that I tried very hard), but I liked this.