Give Thanks

I want to wish everyone the Thanksgiving they enjoy most whether it be a game of football in the backyard or a day of lively conversation with multiple generations of your family.

While the focus is still on thankfulness I would like to recommend two books to carry that feeling well into 2012.  John Kralik's 365 Thank Yous and Deborah Norville's Thank You Power:  Making the Science of Gratitude Work for You are both excellent books.

Kralik's book is the story of how gratefulness changed his life through daily thanks usually in the form of a written thank you.  Since I enjoy writing this concept appeals to me.  Feeling grateful toward others is one thing, expressing that gratefulness shares that positive energy, but actually sending a note extends that feeling longer.  The first appendix to 365 Thank Yous is a guide to writing thank-you notes.  Kralik's notes were not always sent for physical gifts so this advice is helpful.  He also makes a case for sending real paper and pen notes of thanks rather than email notes.  Much of the focus in Kralik's book is how he turned his life around through gratefulness and how we can do the same.  Having been on the receiving end of some special and heartfelt notes by students over the years I can attest to the amazing power it can have over the receiver as well.

Norville's book covers the spectrum of what she is calling the "Science of Gratitude".  Much of her text is secular in nature but the tenth chapter does contain a message for those with religious background.  The introduction states Norville's approach very clearly: it is common sense that to be happy you must look at what you have, not what you are lacking.  This basic principle in Thank You Power carried throughout the book with examples and research findings.  I thought the examples were a strong part of this book.  They reminded me of something I knew, deep inside, that even when things are not going well we can focus on something good in our lives.  The rewards are both emotional and physical.

Think about these two books when you begin to formulate those New Year's Resolutions.

Christmas Story A Day!

I don't think I am the only one who likes Christmas stories.  Although I would like to re-read A Christmas Carol every year I don't always have time.  Since I am against anything Christmas prior to Thanksgiving that reduces  my time slot as well.  It has become easier for me to pick up some quick Christmas title when I have a chance to sit next to the tree and enjoy the season.  These are easy reads so holiday background music is appropriate as well.  Although I have read many of them before it is always good to visit with an old friend you haven't read in at least a year. 

My goal is to read and share a Christmas story each day in December.  Don't worry I will not be posting long books that will take forever to complete.  While some will be religious by nature many will belong to other genre I often read such as mysteries or non-fiction.  Some of the titles will be appropriate and short enough to read to school age children. 

Please join me every day December 1st through 25th and see what story I have plucked from my stocking!

Quick Update!

Last night I completed Deadly Games by Lindsay Buroker.  As  you know I love The Emperor's Edge books.  This book was not an exception.  Now, my question is how soon can I get book 4 into my hot little Kindle.

Earlier this weekend I had finished Flash Gold the first book in a series set in the Yukon during the 1890's from the Flash Gold Chronicles also by Buroker.  I have the second book, Hunted, downloaded but have not started it yet.

Of the two series I like the Emperor's Edge the best, mainly because I really feel a link to Amaranthe, the main character.  Don't ask me why, I have no idea.

Next on my reading list has to be Charlotte and Emily:  A Novel of the Brontes by Jude Morgan.   Book Club is coming up on December second, about two and a half weeks.  With Thanksgiving at my house in-between I need to start tonight.  It sounds like a good read and I will post once our group has had a chance to discuss it. 

Interactive Book Cover

The old adage is "you can't judge a book by it's cover" but maybe you can.  As I was browsing book blogs last night I came across a Young Adult fiction, Daylight Savings by Edward Hogan  The book sounds interesting and I do enjoy time travel novels, but I was especially attracted to the cover.  The design flows as if it was liquid when you move your cursor across it.  Whether you choose to read the book or not I recommend checking out the cover.  Amazing!

Found: A New Favorite Author

In my experimental, hap-hazard way of choosing books I have stumbled across a new favorite author.  Basically if Amazon offers a book on Kindle for $1 or less and compares it to something else I have enjoyed, I'm hooked.

My most recent find is Lindsay Buroker whose web page is here.  In the past week I have read everything in her high fantasy steampunk series The Emperor's Edge.  Steam driven machinery and repeating crossbows are paired with a fantasy world that includes royalty and their foreign enemies who use magic.

The main character is Amaranthe who is an Enforcer, similar to a policewoman.  In the first book, The Emperor's Edge she finds herself at cross purposes with the Emperor, Sespian, although her goal is to protect him.  She soon finds herself hunted by government officials with a price on her head.  She surrounds herself with unlikely companions and they lead a dangerous lifestyle in the hopes of saving the Emperor and clearing their names.

The second book is Dark Currents (Emperor's Edge 2) followed by a book of short stories Ice Cracker II and other Short Stories.  The third book, Deadly Games (Emperor's Edge 3) is expected to be released later this month.  

Buroker also has a series of steampunk novellas set in the Yukon called The Flash Gold Chronicles.  Currently the first volume can be downloaded free onto your Kindle.

If high fantasy steampunk isn't your style you may still want to check out Lindsay's web page.  She has a lot of suggestions and tips for the writers out there who want to self-publish in the ebook format.

We Were The Mulvaneys

I had mentioned earlier that our book for November's book club meeting would be We Were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates.  It is  a wonderful book and probably my favorite book so far by Oates.  While not a happy, uplifting book it will be one you are glad you read. 

The story is the family saga of the Mulvaneys as retold by Judd, the youngest child of Mike and Corinne Mulvaney.  Judd has two older brothers, Mike Jr. and Patrick and one sister Marianne.  He reminds us of what it is like to be the youngest child in a family where most of the family history is in place by the time he comes along.  Because of his place in the birth order he tends to see not only his family but himself through the eyes of others. 

The family seems to be respected and well liked in their small community.  Judd believes perhaps even envied.  His Dad owns a roofing company that has several employees, the family moves in the rights circles church, country club and school activities.  Corinne is a stay-at-home mom, this is 1976.  She enjoys antiques and aspires to run a shop although she never quite pulls it together.  Mike Jr. was a talented, well liked football player, now out of school.  Patrick is bright and free-thinking but a loner.  Marianne is attractive and a popular cheer-leader.  Judd, just entering high school at the opening of this tale is still finding his way in school, the community and his own family. 

All of this changes and the world is turned upside down for the whole family when "it" happens.  As Judd unfolds his story, now a grown adult and journalist, we learn what happened and how the family, their business, educations, friendships and family relations are all destroyed. 

Judd gives us a grown-up insight of a child's experience.  At one point he says "In a family, what isn't spoken is what you listen for.  But the noise of a family is to drown it out."

After many years of distance and pain the story leaves us with a happy ending.  That is probably the part I question most and like the least.  It appears that with very little effort a damaged family is suddenly made whole and happy again.  I doubt that this is a realistic expectation for a group that has dealt so badly with a crisis within the family. 

Since I finished reading We Were the Mulvaneys over a week ago I believe my perspective has changed and softened somewhat.  Time does often change my reactions to a book.  Apparently, for Judd at least, family is the same.   "Members of a family who've lived together in the heated intensity of family life scarcely know one another.  Life is too head-on, too close-up....You can't exercise memory until you've removed yourself from memory's source."

Postscript:

I didn't want to post my review of this book until our book club met last night.  I think some of the members may read this blog occasionally and didn't want to give them my thoughts prematurely. 

Although only four members were able to attend we had a great discussion and tasty food.  Isn't that an important part of a book club gathering?

Several people pointed out that the Mulvaney family seems typical of a family dealing with and covering for an alcoholic family member.  We saw each family member complicating their lives with bad choices and victim attitudes.  Although the father deserves much of the blame for a downward spiraling of the family we really found it hardest to approve of the mother's actions, or lack of.  All of us pondered how we would have dealt with the family's problems.  We can't ever really know but all of us hope that we would have been more supportive of our family and made different choices

We Were the Mulvaneys is well worth the read and readily available.

In December we will be discussing Charlotte and Emily: A Novel of the Brontes by Jude Morgan.

Unpacking Books

Today I packed away the few fall decorations that will not carry over into Thanksgiving.  The Halloween books went, sadly, into the box until next year.  Now that my grandson is in school full time we didn't read some of them because they were baby books, and some because we just ran out of time.

Pilgrims now sit where ghosts, mummies and pirates had been only yesterday.  The good news is that the Thanksgiving books are out sitting in our little guy's rocking chair waiting for him to visit.  So many books and so little time together.  I must admit to reading a couple before I stacked them up. 

If you are lucky enough to have children in your life here are my recommendations:


Baby Books:  Two sturdy board books have survived the test of Thanksgivings past.  First is Corduroy's Thanksgiving.  Everyone loves the Corduroy books by Don Freeman no matter what their age.  Five Silly Turkeys by Salina Yoon is a good read and has shiny tail feathers to help you count down from five. 


Primary Books to be read aloud:  Picking Apples & Pumpkins by Amy and Richard Hutchings.  The photos in this book engaged my students and grandchildren.  'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey is wonderful for school age students because it begins with a field trip.  It always made my students beg to be taken on a farm field trip.  Today Is Thanksgiving! by P. K. Hallinan is the perfect way to start a discussion about how we celebrate Thanksgiving.  Arthur's Thanksgiving is a classic for the primary age group just as Corduroy is for the youngest set.  Most kids are familiar with Arthur and his friends from other Marc Brown books.  A simple book with beautiful soft drawings is Thanksgiving is for Giving by Margaret Sutherland, illustrated by Sonja Lamut.  Reading this book is a great way to begin conversations about the people and things we are thankful for.  One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims by B. G. Hennessy has the sing-song cadence you would expect from the title.  If also offers the younger set a glimpse of life as a pilgrim or Indian child. 

Intermediate Books:  The First Thanksgiving by Linda Hayward is a Step into Reading book for grades 1-3 but can also be read to the younger children.  There are some really good pictures in this book by illustrator James Watling, we have always spent a lot of time on the 2 page cross-section of the Mayflower.  A Plump and Perky Turkey by Teresa Bateman is a very funny book and it is refreshing to see the not-so-usual outcome of this particular feast.  Eve Bunting is one of my favorite children's authors and A Turkey For Thanksgiving is no exception.  When Mr. Moose goes hunting for a turkey for Thanksgiving he gathers his friends along the way.  And then....well, read it and see for yourself.

Historically Accurate Children's Books:  I knew of Jean Craighead George thanks to her wonderful chapter books, The First Thanksgiving stands up to her reputation.  The illustrations by Thomas Locker are splendid.  Another tried and true children's author, Jean Fritz, packs a lot of information into a small format 30 page book.  It has everything we have come to expect in a Fritz book, you won't be disappointed.  Squanto's Journey, The Story of the First Thanksgiving by Joseph Bruchac is one of my favorite Thanksgiving books.  The illustrations by Greg Shed are beautiful and haunting.  In Three Young Pilgrims by Cheryl Harness we meet the three Allertons children and see the voyage of the Mayflower as well as the first Thanksgiving through their eyes.  Again the artwork is fantastic and very detailed for those children who like to search for every little thing in the picture.   Kate Waters teams with photographer Russ Kendall to bring a strong sense of reality to Giving Thanks, The 1621 Harvest Feast as told by a 14-year-old Wampanoag boy, Dancing Moccasins and a six year old English boy, Resolved White.  Another Waters and Kendall book is On the Mayflower, Voyage of the Ship's Apprentice & a Passenger Girl.  While this book does not cover Thanksgiving it is an excellent resource for use prior to reading Giving Thanks.  Another information packed book, The Pilgrims' First Thanksgiving by Ann McGovern is somewhat shorter than a few in this section.  It is very well suited to read aloud.  The last two books are great resources but not made for a bedtime read.  When I share them with children I go through the book pointing out pictures, asking questions and reading the parts that seem to interest the child.  They could also be read aloud in two or more settings.  Judy Donnelly's The Pilgrims and Me is part of the Smart About History series of books.  Don't Know Much About The Pilgrims by Kenneth C. Davis reads much like his Don't Know Much About History.  It is packed with facts in a conversational tone and even includes a brief quiz.