“At heart, this book seeks to challenge Americans’ assumptions about the basic relationship between religion and politics in their nation’s history. F“At heart, this book seeks to challenge Americans’ assumptions about the basic relationship between religion and politics in their nation’s history. For decades now, liberals and conservatives have been locked in an intractable struggle over an ostensibly simple question: Is the United States a Christian nation? This debate, largely focused on endless parsing of the intent of the founding fathers, has ultimately generated more heat than light.”
“And so this book begins with a different premise. It sets aside the question of whether the founders intended America to be a Christian nation and instead asks why so many contemporary Americans came to believe that this country has been and always should be a Christian nation.”
This is another book that was recommended by The Reverend Doctor William Barber. (http://www.breachrepairers.org/) His oral history of America along with the national election has been influencing my reading list. I am starting to believe that I don’t know my country at all.
I wish there was a way that I could pick out parts of this book and make everyone in the United States read them and discuss them. There is so much in here that debunks our versions of how we got to be the country we are. Many people think that our founding fathers were trying to create a Christian country. Others think that school prayer is something that was taken away after it had been in schools forever. I can’t imagine how many people believe that that phrase “under God” has always been in the Pledge of Allegiance. Those last three statements are much more complicated than they appear.
Kruse has written a clear history of the changes to the relationship between Christianity and government that took place in the 20th century. Kruse documents how the actions of corporations influence how we see religion today. This book is well researched and his conclusions seem right on target to me.
Some of the book covers the much missed (by some people) 1950’s. This is the part I wish more people knew. The 1950’s really weren’t a golden era – it was just as crazy as life is now. Hindsight just makes it look better.
If you are curious about the interactions among Christianity, government and corporate America and how they influenced each other this is the book for you. Kruse has given me new insight into all of these aspects of American life. ...more
“When asked what gave her the strength and commitment to refuse segregation, (Rosa) Parks credited her mother and grandfather "for giving me the spiri“When asked what gave her the strength and commitment to refuse segregation, (Rosa) Parks credited her mother and grandfather "for giving me the spirit of freedom... that I should not feel because of my race or color, inferior to any person. That I should do my very best to be a respectable person, to respect myself, to expect respect from others.”
“Time and time again, she sought to show the roots—the legitimacy—of black rebellion. It galled her that black people were often told to wait, to be patient and not angry. She had long hated the ways black rebels were seen as freaks or demonized for their refusal to submit.”
This is the second book I have finished that was recommended by The Reverend Doctor William Barber. (http://www.breachrepairers.org/) During his mini-history lesson, he talked about the real Rosa Parks. I thought I knew who he was talking about.
Once again, history has done a disservice to a black woman. In this case we have rightly honored Rosa Parks for what we thought she did. However, her life was fuller, more interesting and harder than we ever imagined.
I accepted the story of Parks and her decision not to move out of her bus seat as fact. Over the years, I had heard that Parks was involved in the civil rights movement for many years and that seemed likely. However, I really never considered what happened to Parks and her family after the bus boycott.
This is why reading and paying attention to history is so important. How can I, for whom facts are important, know what is going on if I don’t find the right information. I should know by now not to accept the “facts” as presented.
This is an excellent biography. Theoharis has done her research well and helped this reader to see not only Parks more clearly, but some of American history more clearly. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in 20th century America. ...more
“The shop owner did not try to push the book on any of her customers. She knew that in the wrong hands such a book could easily be dismissed, or, wors“The shop owner did not try to push the book on any of her customers. She knew that in the wrong hands such a book could easily be dismissed, or, worse, go unread. Instead she let it sit where it was in the hope that the right reader might discover it.”
A writer imagines books “As a flock of… homing pigeons that could flap their wings and return to him to report on how many tears shed, how many laughs, how many passages read aloud, how many cruel closings of the cover after barely reading a page, how many never opened at all.”
I don’t know how many times I have said that my book group has led me to books I wouldn’t have found on my own. Back in 2013 I had read Krauss’ Great House. It is a book of interconnected stories that are all about a desk. I was glad to listen to those stories, but I had not gotten back to Krauss. I am glad that my reading group brought her back to my attention. Like Great House this book deals with the Holocaust. Much of the action takes place before and after, but the characters would not have ended up where they are without that tragic event. To me the Holocaust feels like a character in this novel.
Leo Gursky, one of the main protagonists of the story, is a writer who has apparently written a book called The History of Love. This novel within the novel keeps the plot wheels turning – sometimes unexpected ways. There are many other wonderful people within this book although my mind keeps returning to Gursky.
I am not sure how to write about this wonderful novel without giving any important part of it away. There is so much going on, so many twists and turns. I can understand why some people have told me that after reading the last sentence, they wanted to go back and start over. There are many good reviews on Goodreads for Krauss’ book. I especially recommend this one: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... The comments are good also.
I suggest this book to the following types of readers: those who like seeing how large events affect individuals, readers who like reading books about books, those who like word play and readers who can handle stories that change with a new paragraph or sentence.
It has been awhile since I read Mary Balogh. Too many books, not ever going to be enough time. I needed a break from the real world and as always a roIt has been awhile since I read Mary Balogh. Too many books, not ever going to be enough time. I needed a break from the real world and as always a romantic novel was just what I needed.
So glad there are so many types of romance to pick from....more
“As an abolitionist and feminist, she put her body and her mind to a unique task, that of physically representing women who had been enslaved. At a ti“As an abolitionist and feminist, she put her body and her mind to a unique task, that of physically representing women who had been enslaved. At a time when most Americans thought of slaves as male and women as white, Truth embodied a fact that still bears repeating: Among the blacks are women; among the women, there are blacks.”
About a month ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to hear The Reverend Doctor William Barber speak. (More information about him here: http://www.breachrepairers.org/.) He was speaking about the times in our history that religious groups had responded well to the issues of the day. Starting with Reconstruction after the Civil War, Barber gave an incredible history lesson to everyone in the room. As he spoke, Barber referenced a number of authors and histories. I wrote down all that information so I could read through them and learn some new things about my country’s history.
With this first book, my eyes have been opened. I knew there was slavery in the North, I had heard that members of the Society of Friends in Philadelphia had owned slaves. I had never really considered what that meant. Who were the slaves? What happened to them after slavery was banned in the North? Were their lives any better or were they worse? This book answered questions that I didn’t even know I should be asking.
Sojourner Truth was a slave in New York State. She and her family were enslaved, abused and taken advantage of through slavery and the aftermath. Her whole life was affected by her enslavement.
I had no idea what Sojourner Truth’s life really was like. I knew the synopsis, the children’s tale of what Sojourner Truth did. There is so much more. Painter has written an amazing tale about a woman I really didn’t know. What makes it more remarkable is how few resources were available to Painter. To tell this life story took some incredible research.
If you think you know Sojourner Truth, pick up this book. If you like to read about remarkable people who have overcome incredible odds, read this sooner than later. You will be amazed. ...more
“I do know that for the sympathy of one living being, I would make peace with all. I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine and “I do know that for the sympathy of one living being, I would make peace with all. I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine and rage the likes of which you would not believe. If I cannot satisfy the one, I will indulge the other.”
What do you know about Frankenstein? Is your knowledge based the novel or one of the movies? Do you think Frankenstein is the name of the creator or the created? I have to admit that I just thought I knew what Mary Shelley wrote about. It turns out I really knew nothing about this story.
When my book group decided this would be a good choice, I had mixed feelings. This is one of those classic books that I felt I should read, but I had never gotten around to it. Looking at the first chapter, I was wondering what I had gotten into. Shelley has written a fascinating story, but she uses a lot of description. This is not contemporary writing that has to compete with TV, computers, movies, etc. This was written in 1818, when there was time to write and read long sentences and detailed narratives.
Fortunately, someone from my book group suggested that I listen to this rather than read it. Also, I was able to find an annotated version that helped me visualize the world that Shelley lived in. Both of these made all the difference and I managed to both read and enjoy Frankenstein. I am so glad that I didn’t give up.
I relearned that Frankenstein is the creator, not the monster. I also learned that Frankenstein was not a particularly nice guy, although many loved him. I wonder if I view the monster with more sympathy than readers of the 19th century. We have had more time to get acquainted with monsters of various types. I don’t think Shelley could have imagined our 21st century world.
If you haven’t read this novel, I recommend it. Shelley certainly could write, the story is very different than you might think and I believe it still speaks to us 200 years later. ...more
“Cecile made it sound like it was no big deal. "I've been fighting for freedom all my life." But she wasn't talking about protest signs, standing up t“Cecile made it sound like it was no big deal. "I've been fighting for freedom all my life." But she wasn't talking about protest signs, standing up to the Man, and knowing your rights. She was talking about her life. Just her. Not the people.”
This was exactly the right book at the right time. I have been reading heavy stuff and I was traveling with my mother. Too much going on for my brain to handle. So I wanted a novel that I could finish in one night, not necessarily to put my brain on hold, but not too difficult. I remembered that Jacqueline Woodson had recommended this middle grade story and I saw it was available as an ebook. Perfect.
It turned out to be perfect in more ways than one. Williams-Garcia has written a book for kids that taught me more about the Black Panthers than I had ever encountered. The book is short, but full of information, love, growth and understanding. This is an amazing tale.
Three girls are sent to join their mother in California for the summer. They really don't remember her and when the four meet, it is clear that none of their expectations are even close to the truth. I was so glad to experience Williams-Garcia's excellent writing, her wonderful story and a place and time that I had never expected to visit. Although I was certainly alive during the heyday of the Black Panthers, I would have never seen them in this way without Williams-Garcia.
I recommend this novel to all middle grade readers and those who love them. For those who have grown up as African-Americans, this is a part of their history they may not know. For all readers, these three sisters are well worth getting to know....more
Occasionally, I read the By the Book column in the New York Times Book Review. I don't need any more books to read, but I am fascinated by what authorOccasionally, I read the By the Book column in the New York Times Book Review. I don't need any more books to read, but I am fascinated by what authors have to say about writing, reading and books. I was especially taken by what Woodson had to say. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/28/boo...
That is what brought me to this book. I don't read a lot of picture books anymore. However, after reading that Woodson would teach this book to fifth graders, I wanted to see what it was about. There is too much to this story for me to be able to give a synopsis. Let me just say that I will be making sure my grandson encounters this book when he is a bit older. Woodson has written about empathy in a way that I did not expect. It is no wonder that she is such a respected storyteller.
I think everyone should encounter this tale and really think about Woodson is trying to tell us.
I have been listening to Pratchett's books about the Discworld for more than ten years. They are wonderfully written, have great characters and the reI have been listening to Pratchett's books about the Discworld for more than ten years. They are wonderfully written, have great characters and the reader is fantastic. Although I listened to this one "out of order" there is no need to read them in the order that Pratchett wrote them.
If you want several hours of fascinating entertainment, look no further. Pratchett was an amazing writer and he is greatly missed. You should not miss his novels....more
“This book would not exist without a kind but determined push from Natasha Trethewey, who challenged me, more than a decade ago to tell this story. Ha“This book would not exist without a kind but determined push from Natasha Trethewey, who challenged me, more than a decade ago to tell this story. Having grappled with America’s racial history so often in her work, Natasha turned to me during a cab ride in New York City and asked why it was that she, a southern woman of color wrote about ‘blackness,’ yet I, a white man from one of the most racist places in the country, never said a word about ‘whiteness.’”
It is so easy, at least for me, to find excuses for why I don’t deal with issues that make me uncomfortable. For example, when I moved to my community in the 1980’s there were residents who still didn’t have indoor plumbing. That seemed appalling to me, but I didn’t try to figure out why or if there was a solution. I didn’t want to deal with the idea that some people had less access to services that I saw as common in the United States.
This is a poor example, but I wanted to state that I understand why Phillips may have found it hard to speak and write about “whiteness.” What does it take to write about your home in such a way as Phillips does? I suspect there are many in Forsyth County, GA who never want to see him again. This history does not do many people credit – it shows clearly that racism can easily take over a community.
Fortunately for our country and hopefully for Forsyte County, Phillips eventually researched and wrote this amazing work. This is a part of our history and it needs to be told. It probably needs to be written about other places, but at least the light has been shown on Forsyth County.
I think anyone who regularly reads or studies American history should be picking up this book. This is not easy reading, but it is necessary. ...more
I haven't had much reading time on the treadmill since I am doing yoga most mornings. So when I saw that Quinn had contributed to this collection, I wI haven't had much reading time on the treadmill since I am doing yoga most mornings. So when I saw that Quinn had contributed to this collection, I was sure these stories would keep me entertained when I did have time to walk.
I finished this book off the treadmill because I wanted to see how it turned out. Happily Ever After, of course, but with a few unexpected twists and turns.
Thank you to Avon and Edelweiss for the opportunity to read these short stories in exchange for a review....more
I am fairly sure that synchronicity is in the eye of the beholder or in this case the eye of the reader. At any given time, I can find connections amoI am fairly sure that synchronicity is in the eye of the beholder or in this case the eye of the reader. At any given time, I can find connections among the books I am reading that would probably appall the authors of those books. So take my connections between this book and A Queer and Pleasant Danger with a large grain of salt. They were published thirty years apart. However, it just feels weird to read these two books both about transgendered people within weeks of each other. This one is a novel and the other is a memoir, but there were some similiarities.
This is the fifth mystery I have read by Moyes and it is probably my favorite. The story was a bit different since I found the subject matter unexpected. I had no idea that anyone was putting transgendered characters in mainstream fiction in the 80's. I am sure that is my blind spot, but I was surprised.
Moyes writes well and I easily fall into her stories. This one was no exception. ...more
“Two thousand eight was the last year on record in which Protestants as a whole—not just white Protestants—represented a majority of the country.”
“Ame“Two thousand eight was the last year on record in which Protestants as a whole—not just white Protestants—represented a majority of the country.”
“America’s still-segregated modern life is marked by three realities. First, geographic segregation has meant that—although places like Ferguson and Baltimore may seem like extreme examples—most white Americans continue to live in locales that insulate them from the obstacles facing many majority-black communities.21 Second, this legacy, compounded by social self-segregation, has led to a stark result: the overwhelming majority of white Americans don’t have a single close relationship with a person who isn’t white. Third, there are virtually no American institutions positioned to resolve these persistent problems of systemic and social segregation.”
"Today, White Christian America's faded cultural map is increasingly inaccurate. Like retirees setting out on a trip with their 1950s AAA road atlas, the graying descendants of WCA find themselves frequently pulling off the road in disbelief and frustration as they encounter new routes and cities that are not on their map. The slow death of WCA has left many with a haunting sense of dislocation."
I am a white Protestant. I belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), which is not terribly evangelical as most people use that word. Since 2009, our tag line, all are welcome, has been a bit more accurate. However, overall the ELCA is a dying church and we seem to be doing little to combat that. I believe that our core belief is essential to the Christian faith. We believe that only G-d’s grace can save and that you don’t have to do anything to deserve G-d’s grace. I believe that G-d’s forgiveness and love is for everyone.
I am very grateful to Jones for publishing this book. I agree with much of what he has to say. I am sorry that the white Protestants are not doing anything to deal with the fact our churches are dying. I have been asking for a blueprint for closing churches for about five years. No one wants to admit that we will need to do that.
My only concern about this book is the lack of references to women in the church. The vast majority of members of WCA are women. They are what sustain any faith group. Jones did not mention women at all.
If you are a white Christian American of any stripe, I recommend this book to you. You may not like what Jones has to say but you need to hear it. ...more
I am grateful that so many publishers are willing to share their books as e-manuscripts with librarians like me. I have gotten to read some very interI am grateful that so many publishers are willing to share their books as e-manuscripts with librarians like me. I have gotten to read some very interesting books while walking at the gym. When I went to library school neither walking on a treadmill nor reading a book on a computer were something I could imagine doing.
Barich's essays turned out to be quite interesting. He is a curious man and has let his curiosity take him from the California gang wars to working on a series for HBO to writing about Jerry Garcia. I knew nothing about Barich, but the fact that he had written for The New Yorker caught my attention. Without that link, I probably would not have picked this book up. I would have missed a lot of interesting people and information. Barich fulfilled one of my reading desires - he introduced me to new worlds that I could never find on my own.
If you like meeting new people and visiting places you might not find on your own, Barich may be for you. For those who like non-fiction, this book might be just what you are looking for.
Thank you to Skyhorse Publishing and Edelweiss for sharing this book with me in exchange for an honest review. Also thank you to them for showing me once again how wonderful serendipity is....more
“I also work here because I love books, because I'm inveterately curious, and because, like most librarians, I'm not well suited to anything else. As “I also work here because I love books, because I'm inveterately curious, and because, like most librarians, I'm not well suited to anything else. As a breed, we're the ultimate generalists. I'll never know everything about anything, but I'll know something about almost everything and that's how I like to live.”
“A good library’s existence is a potential step forward for a community. If hate and fear have ignorance at their core, maybe the library can curb their effects, if only by offering ideas and neutrality. It’s a safe place to explore, to meet with other minds, to touch other centuries, religions, races, and learn what you truly think about the world.”
“As a librarian, saving lives and worlds isn't in my purview, although if I could put those on my resume with a straight face, I would. Saving minds, however … perhaps it's not as farfetched. A mind can be lost without its owner's death. A mind that no longer questions only fulfills the rudimentary aspects of its function. A mind without wonder is a mere engine, a walking parasympathetic nervous system, seeing without observing, reacting without thinking, a forgotten ghost in a passive machine.”
I can’t quite believe it took me three years to get around to this memoir. I mean, really, the man is a librarian; of course I am going to be interested in his story. I also figured I would learn a bit more about Tourette’s and learning is always an important part of reading.
I will admit to being put off a bit by the fact that Hanagarne is a Mormon. I don’t know much about the Church of the Latter Day Saints. I remember reading From Housewife to Heretic by Sonia Johnson many years ago which I know tainted my view of that church. Mitt Romney, the politician didn’t help matters. However, Hanagarne helped me learn more about his church and I was glad to read his viewpoints.
Although there were times that I found Hanagarne long-winded on his faith and his search for health, I had no trouble listening to this audiobook. The reader was good and kept me engaged. Hanagarne himself is an excellent writer and he combined all the threads of his story well. I especially liked the way he used the Dewey Decimal system to further his tale.
Hanagarne must be a wonderful librarian. I have quoted him three times above, but he had plenty more to say about librarianship. I am glad he persisted until he became a librarian. Our profession needs more people like Hanagarne.
If you are interested in biographies, if you like meeting interesting new people, if you want to know more about librarianship or Tourette’s or you just like reading well presented stories, try this memoir. I think that you will find Hanagarne’s story very engaging. ...more
“No matter how your world falls apart-and honey, that's what happens: we all build ourselves a world, and then it falls apart-but no matter how that h“No matter how your world falls apart-and honey, that's what happens: we all build ourselves a world, and then it falls apart-but no matter how that happens, you still have the kind heart you've had since you were a child, and that's all that really counts.”
As I have said before when I read I want to learn something. With fiction I often get to inhabit worlds that only exist in the mind of the author. That is seriously cool. I don’t have that kind of imagination, so I am in awe of those who can create those invented places.
With non-fiction, I can visit places and learn about things that do exist. I can learn about science or history or any number of subjects. That is also amazing. Once again I am impressed with writers who can take a subject and make it clear to me.
Every so often I want to read something that takes me out of my comfort zone. This year, to help me with that, I have been reading books that fit the categories in this reading challenge: http://bookriot.com/2014/12/15/book-r.... I think I have four books to read and then I will be finished.
This book, A Queer and Present Danger: The True Story of a Nice Jewish Boy Who Joins the Church of Scientology and Leaves Twelve Years Later to Become the Lovely Lady She is Today, meets one of the challenges. It also made me face up to some of my prejudices and blind spots.
I have never been comfortable with Scientology. I have always believed that it is a cult, but I had no real information to base that on. Bornstein did not convince me that Scientology is good, but at least she gave me some information that has basis in fact. I am so sorry she had to leave her daughter and grandchildren in the clutches of that cult. I can’t imagine knowing that any of my relatives were subject to the misinformation that Bornstein’s grandkids are being told about her.
There is much in this book that I have little familiarity with. Bornstein talks about transgender issues, sadomasochism, cutting, drinking and many other problems that she has dealt with. She is honest in her assessments of herself and the changes she went through.
Bornstein helped me see parts of our world that I will never experience for myself. I have lived a privileged, cis-gender life. I am grateful for Bornstein and others who are willing to share their lives so I and other readers have a better understanding of where they are coming from. ...more
This is the third romance I have read by Shalvis this year. I come back to her novels because I know I will enjoy them while they last and they will dThis is the third romance I have read by Shalvis this year. I come back to her novels because I know I will enjoy them while they last and they will distract me from real life. That is all I ask for.
I had a couple of moments with this romance that took me out of Shalvis' spell. Chloe, the female protagonist has asthma. I have asthma. I guess I am lucky because Chloe appears to suffer much more than I thought possible for an adult with asthma. As long as I didn't think too hard about Chloe's asthma, I could suspend my disbelief.
If you like contemporyary romances and you require a HEA, then try this author if you haven't. You will have a lot of fun....more
It is wonderful to have friends that regularly supply me with books to read. It is also a bit frustrating to have friends that regularly supply me witIt is wonderful to have friends that regularly supply me with books to read. It is also a bit frustrating to have friends that regularly supply me with books to read. I enjoy this series – Crombie really knows how to write and I enjoy learning more about her detectives. However, I always have more to read than I have time for.
I also don’t like to have too many books in my house that don’t belong to me. So how do I balance between getting my library books read and getting my borrowed books finished? (To be honest, I don’t worry about the books I own. As Andy Miller said, “…(O)ne usually confuses the purchase of books with the acquisition of their contents.” . See my review of his book here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
Like the first volume in this series, I enjoyed this mystery. Crombie kept me entertained, I got to know more about Kincaid and James and I look forward to the next one.
If you like cozy mysteries set in England, you could do worse than Crombie. She follows in the wonderful tradition of Christie, Allingham, Simpson and Moyes. Even though Crombie is not English, she has entered that land of English mysteries that is so popular. ...more
“A stone has been cast into the reliable immutable pond of the past, and as the ripples subside everything appears different. The reflections are quit“A stone has been cast into the reliable immutable pond of the past, and as the ripples subside everything appears different. The reflections are quite other; everything has swung and shattered, it is all beyond recovery.”
When you look back on your past, how much does it change? When I think about certain instances in my life, say from my childhood or my children’s childhood, the memories seem fairly set. Sometimes they change because a family member tells me their version of our lives together, but most reminiscences are stable. They may not be the “truth,” but I accept them as true.
Now imagine that you found something that turned your memories totally upside down. It may be a photograph as in this novel or a letter or even a blog post. Whatever it is, now nothing seems sure. Would you try to figure out the actual truth of the matter?
In this novel, Glyn Peters happens upon a photograph of his wife that changes his view of the past. Probably because he is an historian, Peters feels obligated, compelled to revisit his life with Kath, his wife. The story moves from this beginning to places that I did not expect. However, Lively has always been able to tell a tale well. I read this novel fascinated by the reactions of the characters and awed by Lively’s skill. She makes me interested in and caring about people I wouldn’t ever want to meet.
If you have never read Lively’s stories, I would recommend Moon Tiger since she won the Book Prize for that book. However, if you liked that novel and you are looking for something else by Lively, look no further. She is a passionate observer of life and that is very clear in this tale....more
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