Let's Talk: The Book Thief (June)

Here is my take on this book. If you haven't finished it--DON'T READ MY REVIEW YET!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading from the perspective of death. I found it added an interesting depth to the story as you knew that death was always near. I also thought it was different how death kept telling us what was going to happen way before it did--like who was going to die and how. I didn't find the book to be overly graphic in the depiction of death or the events of that time. The war itself only served as a backdrop to a great story as it unfolded--the story of a girl who comes to love books and find comfort in words.

My favorite character was probably Rudy. I thought he was funny (because of the Jesse Owens incident) and genuine as a friend (saving Leisel from herself when she sees Max again). I could imagine a cocky boy like him being 'real.' I also liked that the author depicted Germany at the time not as a country full of absolute Nazi supporters, but a country with at least a few people who were decent. Ones willing to hid a Jew or think Hitler Youth was a waste. I cried at the end for Leisel.

I would give it 4 3/4 out of 5 stars!

Book for July

I had a couple of books in mind for July but decided on this one (The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less) because I think it's the most fun. It's a little bit like that Zippy book in a sense that it's a memoir. It's a quick read, witty, and is based on a true story. It's actually written by the Prize Winner's daughter. There's even a movie based on the story with Julianne Moore. It's okay but the book is definitely much better. I thought all you summer Ohio folks might enjoy a read from a story based in Ohio.

In case you need more info here's the review from Publishers Weekly. "In the 1950s, the Ryan family struggled to make ends meet. Ten kids and a father who spent most of his paycheck on booze drained the family's meager finances. But mom Evelyn Ryan, a former journalist, found an ingenious way to bring in extra income: entering contests on the backs of cereal boxes and the like. The author, Evelyn's daughter, tells the entertaining story of her childhood and her mother's contest career with humor and affection. She is not a professional narrator, but her love and admiration for her mother come through in every sentence. Evelyn won supermarket shopping sprees that put much-needed food on the table, provided washing machines and other appliances the family couldn't afford, and delivered cash to pay the mounting pile of bills. This well-told, suspenseful tale is peppered with examples of Evelyn's winning poems and slogans, taken from the years of notebooks that she saved and passed on to her daughter, and has a fiction-worthy climax that will keep listeners laughing even as they're glued to Ryan's tale." (Forecasts, Feb. 5). The book is available on Amazon from $6-$15.

If anyone has already read this and wants a different book, let me know and I'll come up with a different one. If not, enjoy and I'll look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Book Review: "The Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis

Annette already wrote her review of this book on her Book Barn Blog so I thought I'd post mine here.

I was the one who picked this book, but since May was pretty much the stinkiest month for me, I didn't start it until late in the month. I just couldn't bring my "insane" self to read such dark stuff. I was afraid it would make me even crazier than I was already feeling. Besides, all the "tempting" that was being talked about was a little too fresh in my mind as I felt like satan was doing a number on me already with my hubby working so much.

So, after life (and I) calmed down, I got to reading...albeit late in the game.
I'd have to say that I was somewhat confused during some of the reading due to all the "big words" that Lewis uses. Evidently I'm not as sophisticated in the English language as he is. But I did get the jest of what he was trying to convey. I guess that's why I had such a hard time reading it in the beginning. I could just see my 'tempter' talking about me to another 'lower tempter'--and I didn't want to think about all the ammunition they had. I was intrigued by the fact that this is quite possibly how 'tempters' work. With the Gospel foundation I can see how all this could play out; how sophisticated satan is in his tactics, how just as Christ knows everything about us, satan too, knows us but instead uses that knowledge to hurt us rather than help us. It was all very revealing and eye opening to me.

I wouldn't say this was my favorite book, but I'd rate it 3 1/2 out of 5. My biggest hangup: All the big words. Sorry Mr. Lewis!